Ever since I was a kid growing up in Ogden Utah back in the early 80's, I've been fascinated by the Spanish bullfight. I even searched out books on bullfighting at the Weber County library, where I found and read "Death in the Afternoon" by Ernest Hemingway. I'm probably the only kid in Utah to have ever read that book. Now here we are 40 years later and I still enjoy learning about and keeping up with the bullfights.

May 31, 2026

Exiliado de Garcigrande - 715 kilos !



Madrid

May 29, 2026

So, a couple of days ago in Madrid we saw something that is rarely seen anymore, a bull over 700 kilos!

Typically your novillos are in the 400 kilo range, and normal bulls are in the 500 kilo range. I saw an interview somewhere with some ganadero, I can't remember who, that said ideally he thought the best fighting bulls were in the mid-500 kilo range. 

Anyway, "big bulls" will easily get into the 600 kilos but once you start getting into the upper 600's usually the bulls don't move very well and tire out very quickly. Therefore, they are not very good for a bullfight where you want to see a bull have strength and fight throughout the entire performance.

So you almost never see a bull in the 700 kilo area. 

However two days ago Madrid saw just that, a bull named Exiliado from the Garcigrande ranch, 715 kilos!

Well, it did not turn out well. Exiliado was first brought out as a substitute for another bull that had to be returned to the corrals for some reason, and quickly was returned himself. From what I read Exiliado was not able to keep on his feet long during the tercio with the picador. 

So all we have are a couple of photos from the Las Ventas website, and I'm guessing we probably won't see a bull this big again for years if ever.
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