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| Bullfighter José Tomás elevated to pantheon of greats after 'perfect night' | Bullfighter José Tomás elevated to pantheon of greats after 'perfect night' |
| (7 months later) | |
| When Spain's star bullfighter, José Tomás, took on six half-tonne bulls in the Roman amphitheatre at Nîmes, southern France, fans wept and critics hailed him as a god. | When Spain's star bullfighter, José Tomás, took on six half-tonne bulls in the Roman amphitheatre at Nîmes, southern France, fans wept and critics hailed him as a god. |
| His gory trophy haul of 11 ears and one bull's tail from a single afternoon's fight on Sunday made him one of the greatest matadors ever. | His gory trophy haul of 11 ears and one bull's tail from a single afternoon's fight on Sunday made him one of the greatest matadors ever. |
| The unusual pardoning of one of his bulls, deemed too noble and brave to kill at the end of the fight, added to the legendary nature of a bullfight that propelled Tomás's face to the front page of El País, El Mundo and other major Spanish dailies on Monday. | The unusual pardoning of one of his bulls, deemed too noble and brave to kill at the end of the fight, added to the legendary nature of a bullfight that propelled Tomás's face to the front page of El País, El Mundo and other major Spanish dailies on Monday. |
| "Extraordinary," wrote Nobel prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, who was among those present. "I have never seen a bullring so packed, and the people so overwhelmed." | "Extraordinary," wrote Nobel prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, who was among those present. "I have never seen a bullring so packed, and the people so overwhelmed." |
| "Some of us wept at the sight of such excellence, of perfection," wrote El Mundo's respected bullfighting critic, Vicente Zabala de la Serna. "I write this with sunny tears, blinded by emotion." | "Some of us wept at the sight of such excellence, of perfection," wrote El Mundo's respected bullfighting critic, Vicente Zabala de la Serna. "I write this with sunny tears, blinded by emotion." |
| Write-ups of the historic fight featured, like all such reviews, in the arts pages of newspapers which still treat the bullfight as culture, rather than sport. | Write-ups of the historic fight featured, like all such reviews, in the arts pages of newspapers which still treat the bullfight as culture, rather than sport. |
| Tickets had long ago sold out for the rare opportunity to see one of the greatest living bullfighters face six bulls. Most bullfights see three matadors take on two bulls each but, as the beleaguered bullfight seeks salvation from an onslaught of criticism over cruelty and dwindling public funding in crisis-hit Spain, fans saw this exceptional fight as an opportunity to stem the anti-taurine tide. | Tickets had long ago sold out for the rare opportunity to see one of the greatest living bullfighters face six bulls. Most bullfights see three matadors take on two bulls each but, as the beleaguered bullfight seeks salvation from an onslaught of criticism over cruelty and dwindling public funding in crisis-hit Spain, fans saw this exceptional fight as an opportunity to stem the anti-taurine tide. |
| "Catalonia is here!" was one of the cries heard from fans who had crossed the border from Spain's northeastern region – where bullfights no longer take place – to watch a pastime that also has roots in southern France. | "Catalonia is here!" was one of the cries heard from fans who had crossed the border from Spain's northeastern region – where bullfights no longer take place – to watch a pastime that also has roots in southern France. |
| The Catalonian parliament banned bullfighting at the start of the year in response to a popular petition, but opponents questioned whether the ban was about protecting animals or about identity politics, with nationalists and separatists seeking to differentiate the region from the rest of Spain. | The Catalonian parliament banned bullfighting at the start of the year in response to a popular petition, but opponents questioned whether the ban was about protecting animals or about identity politics, with nationalists and separatists seeking to differentiate the region from the rest of Spain. |
| Tomás, 37, fought at Barcelona's La Monumental bullring a year ago in Catalonia's last bullfight, bringing to an end what fans said were six centuries of bullfighting in the region. | Tomás, 37, fought at Barcelona's La Monumental bullring a year ago in Catalonia's last bullfight, bringing to an end what fans said were six centuries of bullfighting in the region. |
| After Sunday's performance, critics agreed that Tomás deserves a place in the pantheon of great matadors, alongside legends such as Manolete, Juan Belmonte or Gallito. | After Sunday's performance, critics agreed that Tomás deserves a place in the pantheon of great matadors, alongside legends such as Manolete, Juan Belmonte or Gallito. |
| "José Tomás is an exceptional bullfighter, because of his control, his courage and his art," wrote Vargas Llosa in El Mundo. "There have always been stars in bullfighting but José Tomás is different to them all." | "José Tomás is an exceptional bullfighter, because of his control, his courage and his art," wrote Vargas Llosa in El Mundo. "There have always been stars in bullfighting but José Tomás is different to them all." |
| Tomás has long been the darling of bullfight-loving artists and entertainers. He is also a favourite in southern France, which shares the tradition of bullfighting with Spain and some South American countries. | Tomás has long been the darling of bullfight-loving artists and entertainers. He is also a favourite in southern France, which shares the tradition of bullfighting with Spain and some South American countries. |
| In recent years the number of Spanish bullfights has fallen by a third as town halls, which used to fund many of them, have run out of money. Some 1,700 fights were registered in 2010, with about 7,000 bulls killed. | In recent years the number of Spanish bullfights has fallen by a third as town halls, which used to fund many of them, have run out of money. Some 1,700 fights were registered in 2010, with about 7,000 bulls killed. |
| But bullfighting has received a boost from the new conservative People's party government of Mariano Rajoy, which has allowed it to be broadcast live once more on state television. TVE, the national broadcaster, had not shown a bullfight for six years until it recently changed its code of conduct, which now allows bullfights to be shown during children's viewing time. | But bullfighting has received a boost from the new conservative People's party government of Mariano Rajoy, which has allowed it to be broadcast live once more on state television. TVE, the national broadcaster, had not shown a bullfight for six years until it recently changed its code of conduct, which now allows bullfights to be shown during children's viewing time. |
| Tomás has only fought a few fights this season, keeping fans yearning for more opportunities to see their idol. "The aim is to have only a few fights, making quality the most important thing and to generate expectation and excitement," his manager, Salvador Boix, explained recently. | Tomás has only fought a few fights this season, keeping fans yearning for more opportunities to see their idol. "The aim is to have only a few fights, making quality the most important thing and to generate expectation and excitement," his manager, Salvador Boix, explained recently. |
| As Spain's most popular bullfighter, Tomás is also believed to charge the most for his services. | As Spain's most popular bullfighter, Tomás is also believed to charge the most for his services. |
| "The obvious question now is whether fans in Madrid, Seville or Bilbao will be able to see anything similar," commented Andrés Amorós, the bullfight critic for the newspaper ABC. "Perhaps, now that TVE is back in bullrings, it could be shown live for free, so that all Spaniards can enjoy it." | "The obvious question now is whether fans in Madrid, Seville or Bilbao will be able to see anything similar," commented Andrés Amorós, the bullfight critic for the newspaper ABC. "Perhaps, now that TVE is back in bullrings, it could be shown live for free, so that all Spaniards can enjoy it." |
| But those who think Tomás might save the bullfight from decline are worried that the exact opposite could happen. Rather than providing further legendary fights, rumours are spreading that the matador, who has already had one comeback, will retire definitively. | But those who think Tomás might save the bullfight from decline are worried that the exact opposite could happen. Rather than providing further legendary fights, rumours are spreading that the matador, who has already had one comeback, will retire definitively. |
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