Manuel Real, known in the ring as “Realito,” was declared the winner of the Becerradas Grand Final held in Lucena, Córdoba, on Sept. 7, earning the rare distinction of two ears and a tail for his performance and a judges’ total of 47 points.
The event drew a full house to the Andalusian bullring, where thousands watched six teenage fighters drawn from regional bullfighting schools take part in the Circuit of the Becerredas. After the final kill, Real was carried out on the shoulders of spectators and celebrated with a victory lap in which he displayed the trophies awarded by the panel.
Becerradas are an amateur tier of bullfighting in which young fighters, typically aged 16 to 18, face bull calves (becerros) as part of their training and competitive progression. Matches on the circuit are judged on a combination of artistry, style, bravery and the cleanliness of the killing; judges award ears and tails for particularly successful performances. The event in Lucena, free to enter, featured traditional ceremony and ritual: the animal is first engaged and tired by assistants and banderilleros, the apprentice matador conducts the faena with a cape, and the final thrust is evaluated by a panel of teachers and professional fighters. Crowds signal approval by waving white handkerchiefs.
The finalists had been reduced from an initial field of 30 over successive rounds. Real, who trains at an Escuela Taurina in Camas on the outskirts of Seville, was followed on the podium by Pablo Sánchez of the Almería school and Rojeli Pajuelo of the Ubrique school. Organisers and local officials, including Lucena Mayor Aurelio García, praised the turnout and said the town will host the event again next year.
Bullfighting in Andalusia remains a pathway pursued by hundreds of young students who attend regional academies. There are 31 such schools in Andalusia, according to local counts, and organisers estimate several hundred pupils across the region. Training begins with posture, cape technique and staged exercises and progresses to live events. After becerradas, fighters move to novilladas — where killing is required — and, if successful over time, may take the alternativa ceremony to become professional matadors who face fully grown toros bravos.
Financial prospects vary widely. Novilleros and early-career fighters frequently receive little or no payment for appearances; many incur costs to participate in order to gain exposure. Typical early-career fees have been reported in the range of €1,000 to €3,000 per fight. For a small number who reach the top ranks, fees rise substantially: elite matadors can command tens of thousands of euros per appearance and, in exceptional cases, hundreds of thousands. Prominent current figures have been cited as earning up to €400,000 for marquee events.
The traditional spectacle draws support in some local communities and among political groups that view bullfighting as cultural heritage. Andalusia is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern bullfighting and is home to the country’s highest concentration of bullrings, including the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza in Seville. Historical accounts trace the modern form of the sport to 18th-century innovations credited to Pedro Romero of Ronda, who established many of the techniques and conventions still used today.
At the same time, the involvement of minors in events that can culminate in the killing of animals has prompted sustained criticism from animal rights organisations and a shifting public debate across Spain. Javier Sanabria, national secretary of the anti-bullfighting party PACMA, said that becerradas are “even more controversial because they are performed on animals that are babies,” and described them as “the ultimate cruelty.” He also criticised political subsidies and called attention to legal exceptions that permit bullfighting despite broader animal-protection statutes.
Public opinion surveys indicate growing ambivalence about the sport. A poll conducted in April by Sigma Dos for El Mundo found that 78% of respondents said they were not fans of bullfighting, while 48% said they would remove its protected status as cultural heritage. Support is not evenly distributed: the survey showed higher levels of backing among voters of right-wing parties, including Vox and the Partido Popular.
Safety risks for participants have been underscored by recent fatal and serious incidents in the peninsula. This month a 22-year-old forcado, Manuel Maria Trindade, died after being gored during an appearance in Lisbon. Separately, footage from a competition in Villaseca de la Sagra showed a fighter, Joao D’Alva, thrown and gored, requiring surgery. Estimates from industry observers suggest only a small percentage of academy students — one to two percent — eventually establish sustained professional careers.
Organisers, trainers and supporters of the sport argue it preserves rural economies and breeds of fighting cattle and that it forms part of local identity and festival calendars. Critics point to animal welfare concerns and to the question of exposing minors to lethal confrontations. Legislative and municipal responses have varied; some local governments have restored or promoted events, while national policy shifts in recent years have reflected changing cultural attitudes, including the abolition last year of a €30,000 national bullfighting award.
The Lucena final illustrated the tensions underpinning the contemporary debate: a packed arena and vocal local support contrasted with renewed scrutiny from animal protection groups and the wider public. For the teenagers who take part, organisers and families say, the circuit represents a structured route into a tradition that remains economically and symbolically significant for parts of Spain, even as the country’s relationship with bullfighting continues to evolve.