El matador de toros regiomontano Isaac Leal Montalvo, inicia el año toreando, al reaparecer el día de ayer (January 12, 2025) en el Coliseo de Denver, Colorado EEUU, ante más de 10, 000 personas en un gran festejo al lado del matador Sebastián Ibelles.
Enhorabuena torero, y esperemos que haya más y más festejos, ojalá haya muchas tardes de esas y podamos verte en México y en los EEUU.
- Isaac Leal Montalvo
Bullfighting is coming to Denver this weekend, with all the pomp and circumstance normally seen in arenas in Spain, Portugal and Mexico.
Matadors and bulls will take over the National Western Complex on Saturday, but the experience will be missing one key component: blood.
Coined “The Dance,” the bullfights will be “bloodless,” a technique that replaces the bullfighters’ knives with Velcro sticks and places Velcro squares on the bulls’ backs. Unlike a typical bullfight, both bull and matador are meant to emerge alive from the scuffle.
Event organizers say the show will celebrate cultural traditions, but animal activists say the idea of “humane bullfighting” is an oxymoron.
“You really can’t say that it’s a cruelty free support, because they’re torturing the bull and exploiting it for entertainment purposes,” said Lori Greenstone, a board member of animal rights advocacy group Colorado Voters for Animals. “The only thing they’re not doing is killing it in front of the public like in regular bullfighting.”
Organizers from White Eagle Promotions, the company putting on the event, insist it is cruelty-free, and an important mode of cultural exchange.
“The spectacle remains the same, and the danger is still there not for the bulls, actually, but for the humans,” said Mario Alvarez, general manager of the company putting on the show. “These bulls are going to be full of energy, and that can potentially harm the humans that are doing the dance.”
“The Dance” is the brainchild of Joe Fernandez, a Colorado native who now lives in Turlock, Calif.. Fernandez got hooked on bloodless bullfighting himself when he moved to California more than 25 years ago. Fernandez wanted to bring bullfighting to Denver.
“Being a Latino, I’m political also. I just think that right now there’s a lot of things going on in politics with immigrants and building a wall,” Fernandez said. “I think it’s a time to step forward and promote Latin culture and how beautiful it is.”
The event will feature Mexican matador Lupita Lopez, a fourth-generation bullfighter, and matador Daniel Nunes, of Tomar, Portugal. Rejoneadores, who fight the bulls from horseback, also will perform. The bulls come from a ranch in California.
A “suicide squad” will also take the stage in a performance in which eight men attempt to hold a bull completely still.
“Bloodless bullfighting” has come under fire in the past. In 2009 in Artesia, Calif., animal rights activists clashed with the Portuguese community there over the sport, according to the Los Angeles Times. The activists, part of a group called Animal Cruelty Investigations, claimed that the matadors were using sticks with sharp nails attached during the fights.
Lori Greenstone, of Colorado Voters for Animals, said she fears this sort of foul play, and opposes bullfighting no matter the weapon. Aubyn Royall, state director of the Humane Society’s Colorado chapter, echoed this sentiment, writing via email: “We oppose any effort to bring bull fighting to the U.S., even if it is reportedly more humane than traditionally practiced.”
https://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/13/controversial-bloodless-bullfighting-denver/
(link to Denver Livestock Show)
(from a conversation on Facebook)
Esta pintura fue hecha por Alberto Icaza en las haciendas de los Llanos de Apan Hidalgo faena del trabajo del campo hidalguese.
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La terna es la madre de la faenas camperas. La madre de la charrería. Antiguamente se hacía en los corrales de las estancias o de las haciendas para capar, herrar, tusar ó curar al animal.
La terna tiene dos faenas; el lazo de cabeza y el pial.
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El Vaquero jamas debe entrar por el lado de la panza del animal, si el pialador por error le afloja un poco y se safa el pial, una patada de la vaca en la cara, no te va a dejar nada bien….consejo
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| The Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe near Watsonville, CA |
https://www.californiafrontier.net/ranchos-in-california/
(by Damian Bacich californiafrontier.net)
For many years ranchos defined the early California lifestyle. Their impact remains with us today.
What is a Rancho?
Rancho is a Spanish word that has many meanings, but most refer to a place where people gather. During the Spanish colonial period in the Americas it became associated with a place for raising cattle and other livestock. This is still its meaning today throughout Latin America.
In Spanish and Mexican California a rancho mainly meant a cattle farm. There were a small number of private ranchos during the Spanish period.
Spanish Ranchos
After it began colonizing California, the Spanish government established ranchos for grazing cattle near the presidios. These were managed by the military and were usually called Rancho del Rey or “the King’s Ranch.” Later, after Mexican independence, they were known as Rancho de la Nación or “the Nation’s Ranch.”
What was the Rancho period?
Most ranchos in California originated as land that the Mexican government awarded to people after the breakup of the mission system, or secularization. This led to the rancho period in California.
When people talk about the “rancho period” in California, they usually mean the time between the 1830s and the 1850s. This is the time in which the Mexican government distributed lands that had been under the control of the missions to private individuals. It did this through a process of land grants from the territorial government in Alta California.
How many Ranchos are in California and what was their purpose?
Over a period of about 60 years, the Spanish and Mexican governments made about 500 land grants for ranchos in California. Of these, only about 30 originated during the Spanish period (1769-1822), while most came about during the Mexican era (1822-1848).
During the Spanish period, the purpose of the ranchos was to raise livestock, primarily cattle, and provide food for the presidios. After Mexican independence, the ranchos mainly provided a livelihood for the people that owned and worked on them. Over the years, raising cattle and other livestock became the main activity in Alta California and created the rancho economy.
The Rancho economy
The buying and selling of products made from cattle raised on California ranchos was what came to be known as the “rancho economy.”
Along with meat, cattle provided hides that could be converted into many products. Leather goods, such as saddles and ropes (reatas), were very important for the frontier life of Alta California. Hides would also be stretched and dried, then folded and stored, to be put on merchant ships from the east coast of the U.S. They would then be sold in cities like Boston, New York and Philadelphia for shoes or belts for industrial machinery.
Along with meat and hides, fat from the cattle was an important product. It could be melted into tallow for making things such as soap and candles. Because hides and tallow were so valuable, the hide and tallow trade became the foundation of the rancho economy. In this way, some rancheros or rancho owners, became very wealthy.
Who were the Rancheros?
Rancheros were people who had been loyal to Spain or Mexico, and had shown that they were capable of farming the land in a productive way. The first rancheros were soldiers who had come to the region as early as 1769. Most, though, were settlers whose families had come to Alta California in the 1770s with Juan Bautista de Anza. After Mexican independence, they called themselves Californios, because they felt closely connected to the land of California.
Native American Ranchos
Although it was mainly Californios — as the Hispanic settlers called themselves — who requested lands under the new laws, a number of Indians also received grants for ranchos. Many of these were in Northern California, such as Olompali, near the town of Novato, Rancho Ulistac in Santa Clara, and Rancho Posolmi near what is today Mountain View.
Who worked on the Ranchos and who were the Vaqueros?
Each rancho needed a staff of workers to operate it. There were people who maintained the household, cleaning, sewing and working in the kitchen. Depending on the types of crops grown on the rancho, there were those who worked in vineyards and orchards, or cared for crops like corn or wheat. Just like in the missions, there might also be carpenters, cobblers or blacksmiths for building or repairing tools.
But the main activity of ranchos was raising livestock, especially cattle. So the key workers on the ranch were the cowboys or vaqueros. They were responsible for protecting the herds, moving the cows to good pastures, as well as slaughtering, butchering them and processing their hides. The vaquero truly played an essential role on the rancho.
Because the did all their work on horseback, the California vaqueros earned a reputation as top-notch horsemen. Rancho visitors from the U.S. were often very impressed by the skills of the vaqueros. One traveler noted,
“The men are almost constantly on horseback, and as horseman excel any I have seen in other parts of the world. From the nature of their pursuits and amusements, they have brought horsemanship to a perfection challenging admiration and exciting astonishment."
The majority of rancho workers were Native Americans. They performed almost all of the roles, including working as vaqueros. Most were Christian Indians who learned their skills while living at the missions. Some also came from non-Christian villages or tribes. They were also trained in the different rancho chores. Indian labor was essential to making the ranchos what they were.
Danger and daily life on the Rancho
Working on a rancho could be very hazardous. There were accidents and injuries when dealing with large domestic animals like horses and cattle, but there were many wild animals to contend with. Grizzly bears roamed the foothills and valleys of California and often preyed on cattle, while smaller animals like rattlesnakes were just as deadly. Sometimes hostile Native American groups would raid livestock herds. This would often lead to violence when the rancheros pursued the Indians to recover their livestock.
Grizzly bears roamed the foothills and valleys of California and often preyed on cattle, while smaller animals like rattlesnakes were just as deadly. Sometimes hostile Native American groups would raid livestock herds. This would often lead to violence when the rancheros pursued the Indians to recover their livestock.
Daily life on the ranchos basically followed the same pattern as the routine at the missions.
Each day would begin with a breakfast of atole, a type of porridge. After breakfast each person would go to work on his or her particular occupation until midday.
At midday everyone would gather for lunch, often a bowl of pozole, a hearty stew. Lunch would often be followed by a nap or siesta, as was common all over Spain and Latin America. Sometimes workers and their families spent time socializing and relaxing.
They would return to their occupations around 3pm until just before sunset, which was they end of the workday. After work, people gathered for supper, which was often similar to the lunch meal. They then spent the rest of the evening together, until going to bed around midnight.
Free time and entertainment
Although life on a rancho involved plenty of hard work, there was also time for entertainment and socializing. Rancho dwellers enjoyed singing, dancing, playing cards and telling stories.
A very popular form of entertainment was the fandango. The fandango was named for a dance with origins in Spain. In Alta California and Mexico, the word “fandango” also came to refer to a party where people danced together. Men and women would dress in their finest clothes dance all sorts of dances including the jota vieja and the contradanza. Wealthy rancho families often organized fandangos that would last late into the night or early morning.
Family events such as baptisms and weddings were also important occasions for gathering together and celebrating. Wedding celebrations would often last for days at a time, and the family hosting the event would invite everyone living within many miles.
Some of the more popular forms of entertainment took place outdoors. As in most Spanish-speaking countries, bullfights were very popular. These weren’t as elaborate as those in the big cities of Spain and Mexico, but mostly involved releasing an angry bull in an enclosed arena. As the bull ran around, young men dressed in bright colors tried to avoid the bull’s horns. Sometimes the bull was killed, though other times it was set out to pasture.
Bear and bull fights were another popular pastime. A bull and a bear were tied together by one leg, and the two animals fought until the other was killed. Visitors to Mexican California mentioned seeing this sport take place in ranches and pueblos all over the territory.
California Rancho houses
In the beginning, most rancho houses were simple huts of earth, grass and branches or reeds. As the ranchos became more successful, their owners were able to have homes made out of adobe bricks and even timber. These homes would be usually low, one-story structures, though larger or wealthier families would sometimes have two story buildings. Most homes had an inner patio or courtyard, where the family activity would take place, as well as an outdoor kitchen for preparing and cooking meals.
The Alta California rancho house would later inspire the home style throughout the western U.S. known as the “ranch style” house.
Ranchos and hospitality
Visitors to Spanish and Mexican ranchos often commented on the hospitality of their hosts. Because of the distances between ranchos and the dangers of traveling in the open territory, ranchos always opened their doors to travelers. According to Teresa de la Guerra, a woman who grew up on a rancho in Southern California,
“Travelers knew that all Californio rancho owners freely offered hospitality to whomever happened to appear at their doorstep." - Teresa de la Gerra
Guests would receive food and a place to sleep, and even horses to ride if they needed them. Hospitality and a warm welcome to visitors was a hallmark of rancho life on the California frontier.
The end of the Rancho period
The era of California ranchos ended shortly after the U.S.-Mexico War. When California became part of the United States, rancho owners needed to prove to the U.S. government that the land belonged to them. Because it was very costly to hire lawyers to defend their property, most rancheros wound up selling off their land to pay their expenses. By the end of the 1860’s, most of the ranchos in California had been broken up and sold to new owners.
Popular Ranchos in Canlifornia
While most ranchos in California were broken up over a century ago, you can visit some of their original sites to better understand life during the rancho era. Many have become state parks or historical monuments open to the public.
https://www.ranchocamulos.org/
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=474
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=621
For a kid living in Utah in the 80's, going to the El Matador restaurant was always a treat. It was about the closest I was ever going to get to experiencing Mexico.
The look of the restaurant from the outside with the bell tower and tile roof, the decor on the inside (especially in the waiting area with the little fountain), and the best chips and salsa I've ever had still this day, always gave me chills and a warm feeling at the same time.
I loved it.
And we didn't get to go there often, as a family we only went out to eat on special occasions and there were three or four restaurants we would go to so the El Matador was usually a once a year or maybe twice a year if we were lucky.
And I have to say again as a kid growing up in Utah, Mexico and its fascinating culture and allure seemed about as far away as any other place on Earth. And many times I seemed trapped in Utah, wanting to be someplace warm and exciting, as compared to my cold and boring surroundings. Even my Spanish classes at Wahlquist Jr. High with Mr. Turner holds a special place for me. Can you imagine wanting to go to school just to feel like you are escaping the world in your Spanish class? I know, a little odd but that was me.
And for a kid that was fascinated by bullfights going somewhere called the "El Matador" was even better.
Although my love for the bullfight didn't begin at the El Matador, it actually began at Taco Time in Ogden (which is another story soon to come) the El Matador always kept the flame inside burning for me.
That is why I was very sad to here about its closing last year. And why I had to take a couple of pictures from the outside when I was in town again recently before it eventually gets torn down.
Long live El Matador, long live Ogden, and long live the bullfight.
(standard.net 9-15-22)
Hyla Olsen heard the news - El Matador, the iconic downtown Ogden Mexican restaurant, would be closing — and went on a mission.
“We had to be here the last day,” she said.
So there she was Thursday, seated with husband Farrell Olsen and the couple’s daughter Haylee Rogers. They were enjoying their last meal at the eatery. “There is absolutely nothing that can compare to this,” said Farrell Olsen, a plateful of food in front of him.
Word started spreading via social media on Wednesday that El Matador, launched in the 1960s, would be closing and the line started forming Thursday morning outside the locale among those wanting one last fix.
“I got here at 10:30 and I was the second one in line,” said Jan Lyons, who ate lunch with her friend Pam Byington.
A message posted on the El Matador website on Thursday — its last day in business — confirmed the news. “El Matador Restaurante and Cantina is permanently closed. For over 60 years, it has been our pleasure to bring Ogden the finest quality Mexican food. We thank you for your support throughout this time and wish all our customers the very best,” it reads.
But few other details were forthcoming and restaurant operators didn’t immediately respond to a Standard-Examiner query seeking more information. Resha Holder, a hostess who was doling out El Matador’s famous salsa in quart containers to go, said that she first heard the news on social media on Wednesday. Her manager confirmed the plans.
“They didn’t really give us a reason. They said we will be closing after today,” she said.
Unconfirmed scuttlebutt among some of the many people who converged on the restaurant Thursday was that a deep-pocketed investor would be buying out the land where El Matador sits for redevelopment.
“It’s just like everything else in Ogden. Everything’s being torn down,” with apartments and townhomes filling the vacant spaces, Lyons said.
Whatever the reason, the popular restaurant wasn’t hurting for business. “Business was booming. It’s not a lack of business. It’s not a lack of customers,” Lyons said.
A separate and unaffiliated restaurant of the same name in Bountiful remains open.
Chef Tony Hasratian, an Armenian immigrant, opened El Matador in 1963, according to the restaurant’s website. He had been operating an Armenian restaurant when a customer suggested he give Mexican food a try given the lack of Mexican restaurants in Ogden at the time.
His Tex-Mex menu quickly caught on, according to a 2015 Standard-Examiner article on Hasration and the restaurant. “Millions of enchiladas, tacos and burritos later, Chef Tony has built a sought-after dining experience that keeps people standing in line just to get in day after day and night after night,” reads the article.
Given such popularity, there were a lot of long faces on Thursday. The line of people waiting for food snaked out the front entrance of El Matador into the parking area.
“I think it’s sad,” said Lyons, a fan since she was a child. “It’s a piece of our childhood, our adolescence, our growing up.”
“We don’t know where we’re going to go,” added Byington, her friend.
Shara Hatori and her husband, Austin Hatori, were in the line Thursday waiting to get in. They had their first date at El Matador.
“They’ve got the best food and atmosphere. It’s just the whole experience, really,” Shara Hatori said. “It really makes me sad. It’s one more gem that’s being taken away.”
The salsa, among other things, was a big draw. Tymbre Flamm was there with her husband, Michael Flamm, buying 15-quart containers of the stuff to go. They’ll eat some now, freeze the rest for later.
“I’m so sad, honestly,” she said, referencing the many family gatherings at the restaurant over the years. “It brought us all together. We all love it.”
Janika Barfuss, there with her mother, JoLynn Souter, said losing the food is sad. More significantly, she feels for the El Matador employees who will now have to find work.
At the nearby table where the Olsens and Rogers were dining, Rogers noted that the family tradition of bringing her father to El Matador to mark his birthday will fall by the wayside. “I’m sad we won’t be able to take more pictures with my dad on his birthday,” she said.
El actor estadounidense ganó un Oscar al mejor actor con Ben-Hur. Fue uno de los grandes del cine clásico. Al visitar España no solo conoció la tauromaquia, también llegó a ponerse delante de una becerra.
Según informa Gentlx, fuentes consultadas cercanas a la familia Ortega Blancas, confirmaron que el también ex diputado local de Morena, se mantenía en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI), intubado, en espera a que reaccionara por sí mismo, debatiéndose entre la vida y la muerte, hasta que finalmente esta tarde se produjo el triste desenlace.
Rafael Ortega se encontraba en estado crítico e intubado en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de la citada clínica a la espera de que su cerebro respondiera después de que sufriera un desmayo el pasado jueves nadaba en la piscina tras salir a correr como acostumbraba en una estancia de hotel junto a su familia y sus hijos, que iban a participar en una prueba de triatlón este domingo.
El mundo del toro se encuentra conmocionado por esta inesperada pérdida del que fue uno de los matadores punteros de México de los años noventa. Natural de Apizaco (Tlaxcala), Ortega debutó como novillero en Huamantla en agosto de 1986. Se presentó en la Plaza de toros México el 4 de octubre de 1987, con el novillo «Marchantito» de la ganadería de Piedras Negras alternando con José Luis Herros y Edgar Bejarano.
Tres años después, Ortega tomó la alternativa el 23 de diciembre de 1990 en la plaza de toros de Puebla (México) con Manolo Arruza como padrino y David Silveti como testigo de ceremonia, con el toro ‘Brillantito’, de Reyes Huerta. Confirmó el doctorado en La Plaza México el 23 de septiembre de 1993 con El Geno como padrino y José Luis Herros como testigo. El toro se llamó Azuceno, de Mariano Ramírez.
Torero banderillero, con un concepto alegre y versátil que participaba en todos los tercios, llegó a confirmar la alternativa en Las Ventas el 24 de junio de 2001 de manos de Leonardo Benítez y con Ruiz Manuel como testigo, con el toro ‘Escandaloso’, de Los Derramaderos.
Tras ser uno de los toreros punteros de México, y tras retirarse de los ruedos en 2019 toreando su último festejo en Tlahuelilpán el 8 de octubre, Rafael Ortega dejó los ruedos para adentrarse de lleno en la vida política. Además, también quiso ser empresario formando sociedad junto a su mujer y sus hijos para dar toros en la dura pandemia logrando reabrir en aquella época la Jorge «El Ranchero» Aguilar de Tlaxcala.
Rafael Ortega fue un hombre muy querido en el mundo del toro, que hoy llora su desgraciada e irrepentina pérdida. Mundotoro se une también a este dolor y quiere enviar su más sentido pésame a sus familiares y amigos por esta triste pérdida. D.E.P.
https://www.mundotoro.com/noticia/muere-en-estados-unidos-el-diestro-rafael-ortega/1690852
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Por Guillermo Leal
En la plenitud de la vida, el torero tlaxcalteca Rafael Ortega viajó a la eternidad. Por esos azares caprichosos del destino, un hombre que durante más de treinta años se jugó la vida entre los pitones, fue a dejarla en una alberca de Utah en Estados Unidos, en el agua, un ecosistema que él manejaba con soltura y facilidad.
El 15 de febrero en la Ciudad de México, Rafael Ortega, de 53 años, uno de los toreros figuras de un estado emblemático como es Tlaxcala, afirmaba: ‘Estoy orgulloso de Rafael (su hijo) y de ver cómo se prepara para su competencia. Me gustaría hacer una a su lado’, reconoció quien fuera un torero que figuró por su variedad, técnica y eficacia al entrar a matar.
Ese día iba Rafael a contratar a Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza, quien anunció su gira del adiós, pues desde hace tiempo cuando se retiró de los ruedos, para no quedarse fuera, decidió apoyar a la fiesta como empresario, lo que venía haciendo con éxito al grado que, durante la pandemia, fue el único que se atrevió a dar toros en Tlaxcala.
Aunque no hay versiones oficiales, se dice que Rafael, quien acompañaba a sus hijos y a su esposa en la preparación para una prueba deportiva, se metió a nadar y sufrió un infarto del que no lo pudieron rescatar con rapidez por lo que el agua penetró a sus pulmones. Lo peor, que también llegó al cerebro, que después de varios días, murió.
Con Rafael Ortega se va un torero que fue capaz de triunfar 10 tardes consecutivas en la Plaza México, un hombre honesto y entregado a la profesión. No gustaba de beber alcohol, de fumar cigarrillos, era educado en su trato, lo que siempre lo significó.
Nacido en Tlaxcala, tierra de toreros, en 1970, inició su andadura taurina a mediados de los años 80, hasta llegar al 2018 cuando por última vez vistió de luces, no sin antes abrir un paréntesis que ocupó para dedicarse a la política. Rafael Ortega será sin duda un referente taurino de Tlaxcala y la historia del toreo mexicano. Su cuerpo será trasladado a México, donde su viuda Estela y sus hijos Rafael y Paola determinarán qué hacer.
History of Fiesta
Santa Barbarans have long been proud of their city's heritage from Spanish founders and from the Spanish, Mexican and North American pioneers who first settled here and built the city. The tradition of colorful music, dance, and song together with a spirit of friendliness, hospitality and tolerance are part of this heritage which the Fiesta "Old Spanish Days In Santa Barbara" seeks to preserve and perpetuate.
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara
In the year 1924, two circumstances motivated the first Fiesta.
First off, there had for some time been a feeling among the business people of the city that Santa Barbara should have an annual summer event to attract and entertain visitors. The city had come to be a favorite place for winter tourists, but visitors had not been drawn to Santa Barbara in any considerable number during the summer months.
Secondly, in August of 1924, the Community Arts Association of Santa Barbara planned the opening of the new Lobero Theatre.The old historic theater founded by Jose (Giuseppe) Lobero had been condemned and unused for several years until 1922 when the CAA purchased the property and began remodeling the building under the Spanish-California architectural plans of George Washington Smith. The executive director of the Community Arts Association, Hamilton McFadden, called a meeting of businesspeople to plan a celebration to mark the opening of the new theater. He approached a merchants' association, and a committee was formed of which Charles E. Pressley was elected chairman. The interest of the city manager, Herbert Nunn, was enlisted.
The group began to formulate plans for the celebration, designing some activities including a parade, rodeo, family activities, bullfights, athletic and musical events, and, of course, a gala celebration at the theater filled with Spanish dancing on its opening night. As preparations were under way for this community event, Mayor Charles M. Andera declared fiesta week "one of festival and gaiety, during which period, which shall be known as 'Old Spanish Days,' the spirit of old Santa Barbara shall be lived again and again and the new Santa Barbara shall give way to the traditions of the city's founders", a time of homecoming for former residents and one of hospitality for guests.
1924 - The First Historical Parade
As mentioned previously, the original celebration was planned to include a parade.
The parade committee was headed by Dwight Murphy, a fancier and breeder of Palomino horses who had come to Santa Barbara County and purchased large ranch holdings in the area of San Marcos Pass. Approximately two months before the parade, Murphy was invited to attend a meeting with the city manager, Herbert Nunn, and was asked to arrange the details of the parade. The type of parade was left to Murphy's discretion, and he was allocated a budget of $200.00. He called together a group of community members including Francis Price, Sam Stanwood, Ed Borein, Harry Sweetser, James Rickard and Wilson Dibblee; they met several times before deciding on a historical parade presenting a living portrait of old Santa Barbara.
Price, Sweetser, Dibblee and Murphy met with members of the De la Guerra and Ortega families to obtain information regarding the early Spanish customs. After these meetings, various committees were appointed to arrange for costumes, floats, carriages, and horsemen. Service clubs, such as the Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, were invited to participate and to wear the costumes depicting the various historical periods. All of the floats were horse-drawn and built by representatives of the organizations riding on the float bed. Marching groups were secured to represent the Chumash Indians and the soldiers of Spain and Mexico.
Over the years, the character of the parade changed somewhat: the floats came to be drawn by motorized vehicles, more individuals and riding groups wearing their own or their organization's distinctive attire began to participate, and the number of marching band entries increased. Due to these changes, some feared that the historical character of the parade was in jeopardy of completely disappearing. In recent years, an effort has been made to deal with these concerns. The parade is now divided into two sections: the historical section, which has been carefully revised and is mainly presented on the floats depicting highlights of local heritage and history, and "Santa Barbara of Today", which includes the many other types of participation based in accord with the spirit and purpose of Fiesta.
La Fiesta Pequeña
Being that the most prominent Fiestas in the Spanish and Mexican tradition have always been closely connected with church celebrations, it is only fitting that Santa Barbara's annual Fiesta has included traditions with the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara. With the gracious involvement of the Franciscan Fathers, those traditions continue today.
The 1926 Fiesta held its sunset service at the Mission. A year later, restoration of the Mission from the damage it received in the massive earthquake of 1925 was completed, leading to a celebration on Wednesday evening as a prelude to the opening of Fiesta. There was an Ecclesiastical Procession along the Mission corridor up to the steps of the Mission and followed by a program including addresses by dignitaries, music, and dancing and ending with a reception. From 1927 to the present the tradition has not changed. Fiesta continues to open with this program at the Mission that has come to be called Fiesta Peque–a, "Little Fiesta."
La Misa del Presidente
In 1936, which marked the sesquicentennial of the founding of the Mission, a Solemn High Mass was sung on the first day of Fiesta at the Mission. The public, of all faiths, was invited to attend in traditional costume.
Today, La Misa Del Presidente is held on the second day of Fiesta in the morning and continues to be open to people of all faiths. In recent years, the Franciscan Fathers have held a reception in the Mission Garden following the mass.
El Mercado
El Mercado as its known in Spain and Mexico, or "the marketplace," has been the center of village and city life all over the world. However, as Santa Barbara had no Mercado, the gathering spot for the people of Santa Barbara had been the Presidio. During the many fiestas prior to the first Old Spanish Days Fiesta in 1924, booths were set up in various locations in the city where merchandise was sold and food and entertainment provided. These centers came to serve as the marketplace for the fiesta. This custom has continued and become an established part of Old Spanish Days.
For many years the Mercado took on a variety of personalities until 1949 when the foundation for the present mercado was laid. Rosario Andrea Curletti was in charge of the Mercado's that year and insisted all things having to do the Mercato be authentic. Robert Hoyt, a well-known architect, designed and constructed the booths reflective of true Mercado puestos and helped determine the rental to be charged to allow the Mercado to become self-supporting. For the first time each booth was sponsored by a non-profit or religious organization of the City of Santa Barbara and the revenue earned was to be used for their organization. The food, beverage, candy and merchandise sold was limited to the items that would be found in a Mercado of the Spanish and Mexican California period.
This tradition has continued over the years. Many booths at Mercado del Norte and Mercado De La Guerra are still sponsored by local charitable organizations with proceeds supporting their programs. The form of the booths has been standardized and updated over the years, not only for convenience but also to meet city health and safety ordinances. Entertainment is offered throughout the day and evening to provide an even more festive and enjoyable atmosphere.
Bullfights
Bullfighting has always been a part of the culture of California, and even more so in Santa Barbara. The topography and climate surrounding Santa Barbara attracted ranchers since the area was settled, and Spanish fighting bulls were soon being raised and bred along side Andalusian horses.
The Plaza de Toros Santa Barbara was built soon after the mission was completed and has stood ever since, constantly going through renovations and meticulous upkeep that has made it the jewel of the California bullfight culture.
Bullfights have been held since the beginning of Old Spanish Days, with a bullfight on horseback, or rejoneo, taking place on the first day of the fiesta, and then traditional bullfights with matadors taking place on the following days of the fiesta. (On Sundays two bullfights are traditionally held, a novillero sin picadors is held in the morning with a regular bullfight held in the afternoon.)
Noches de Ronda
Noches De Ronda "Nights of Gaiety" was first organized in 1922 at the home of Leontine and Arthur Verhelle with the assistance of William and Rosa Poole.
Members of the community were invited to the Verhelle home for an evening of music and dance performances by the Poole-Verhelle Dance Group. This group had previously been formed to preserve and perform the traditional music and dance of California with many of the members having performed in the dancing groups of La Primavera.
Over the years, the size of the party grew until the Verhelle yard could no longer accommodate the crowd. Due to the popularity of the event, Mayor Sam Stanwod invited the Verhelles and Pooles to move the event to the lawn of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse when it opened in 1930. It was then, with a crowd of 250-300, that Noches De Ronda gained a new and permanent home.
Originally Noches De Ronda was staged for the sheer joy of those participating, but in 1934, the format of the evening changed to accommodate the increased number of spectators. It then became less of an audience participation activity and more of a staged show or performance.
While the event now includes many numbers of varied songs, instrumental music, and dance, it has never lost focus on the original purpose of the 1922 gathering, continuing to present the traditional California songs and dances as the featured numbers.
Old Spanish Days Fiesta
In 1926 the group of merchants who had formed the first official "Old Spanish Days" committee and members of the parade committee met under the leadership of Dwight Murphy and established the present non-profit corporation of "Old Spanish Days Fiesta, Inc." Murphy was elected president and thus became the first "Presidente."
After the creation of a board of directors and an executive committee, the group undertook plans for Fiesta 1926, with the consensus of all the members that the celebration should continue the policy of presenting California traditions as exemplified in Santa Barbara's history. Many years later, the residents of Santa Barbara continue to preserve and celebrate the traditions of historical Santa Barbara through Old Spanish Days Fiesta!
Thanks to a new job I have been driving by the Spanish Fork Utah rodeo arena quite a bit lately and every time I do I keep saying to myself how much it looks like a Plaza de Toros.
If you didn't know better you could easily confuse it with a bullfight arena. Technically, I would imagine they have had the American rodeo version of bullfighting there before, the ones that use, as the rodeo crowd would say, "Mexican fighting bulls".
I'm going to have to pay more attention now, if a bullfight competition does come up in Spanish Fork I'm going to have to check it out. I'd love to see a toro bravo on Utah soil.
(haroldextra.com 7-20-12)
Mayor G. Wayne Andersen and the crowd in attendance at the new Spanish Fork arena ribbon cutting shouted, “Let’s rodeo!” The ribbon cutting was just one of the events held to celebrate the opening of the new arena for the 70th Annual Fiesta Days Rodeo.
The original arena was torn down in September following a $3 million donation from an anonymous donor, which was given to Andersen with one stipulation — that the arena be completed for the July 2012 Fiesta Days Rodeo.
And the city, contractors and workers have been working non-stop over the past few weeks to ensure that the arena would be complete and ready for the rodeo.
The new arena now boasts roomier and more comfortable seating for 8,500. There are more box seats and more covered seating. There are three concession stands in the arena in various areas and more restrooms.
“I think the neatest part is the curbside appeal,” said Dale Robinson, Spanish Fork director of parks and recreation. “It looks like a stadium and less like you are walking into bleachers. The ornamental fencing and the greenscape make it look great.”
Another added benefit is that there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
“There are no obstructed views,” Robinson said. “In our old arena the lower seats were always blocked by people walking by. The seating is also spacious. We have increased the size of the seats and the leg room.”
There also is a catwalk along the top of the entire arena, allowing someone to get anywhere in the arena by foot.
“When I found out in August of 2011 that we would be building a new arena, we wanted to build something that would make people go ‘wow,’ ” said Steven Money, member of the 2012 rodeo committee. “That is a ‘wow’ arena. Everyone did a tremendous job and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.”
A special bronze statue entitled “Cowboys Pride” sits in front of the arena and was donated by David Argyle, a local artist.
“This is a beautiful arena,” Argyle said. “The arena is as much a work of art as any piece of art and I feel humble to have my piece sitting here.”
Prior to the ribbon cutting a sponsor luncheon and honoring of inductees into the Hall of Fame was held. Delos Huff, Bill Crump, Lewis Feild and Redrock the Bull were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Huff and Crump were instrumental in starting the Diamond Fork Riding Club, which organizes the rodeo each year. Lewis Feild was honored for helping to elevate the Fiesta Days Rodeo to where it is today. Redrock the Bull was honored for helping move the rodeo into the limelight. Each year, new inductees will be added to the Hall of Fame.
“We couldn’t have done this without the generous support of Doug and Carol Ford,” Andersen said. “This is the finest outdoor arena in the country. It is a state-of-the-art facility.”
The Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo presented by Mountain View Hospital will be held today through Tuesday. Tickets are already sold out for tonight’s and Saturday’s shows. Tickets are still available for Monday and Tuesday, but are going quickly. For more information, please visit www.spanishfork.org.
https://www.heraldextra.com/news/2012/jul/20/spanish-fork-celebrates-new-rodeo-arena/
(sltrib.com 8-30-11)
Replacing the grandstand at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds rodeo arena has been on this Utah County city's to-do list for years, with little sign of getting to the top.
"With the downturn in the economy, we weren't able to do [the project], said Mayor G. Wayne Andersen.
But a resident's $3-million donation has catapulted the project to the top of the list, Andersen said. Spanish Fork is in the process of soliciting bids for contractors to remove the aging wood-and-steel stands and replace them with a new structure, which will seat 2,000 more people in the Lance Money Arena.
The benefactor attached two strings to the gift: He had to remain anonymous and the project has to be done in time for next year's Fiesta Days rodeo, an event sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
"One of the conditions was he wanted to be sitting in his new box at the rodeo next year," Andersen said. The only clue the mayor would give to the benefactor's identity is that he is a Spanish Fork resident who loves rodeo.
Councilman Richard M. Davis said the benefactor made the contribution shortly after this year's Fiesta Days in late July.
"He's an honorable citizen of Spanish Fork," Davis said.
Andersen said the money will go toward replacing the 6,500-seat grandstand, while Utah County — whose fair takes place at the Spanish Fork facility — will kick in funds for new restrooms and a concession stand. The grandstand was built in 1945, with two additions in the past 25 years. Andersen said the structure is starting to show its age, and audiences find the seating cramped. The new arena will seat 8,500, Andersen said. The city has consulted with livestock show and rodeo professionals on what improvements should be made in a new arena.
"They said, 'You guys have the best arena in the country, and keep it so the crowd is on top of the action,' " Andersen recalled.
Utah County Commissioner Larry Ellertson, whose oversight includes the Utah County Fair, lauded the donation.
"Apparently these people have the resources," he said, "and want to invest them in the community."
Ellertson said the donation will benefit not just Spanish Fork, but all of Utah County. The county and the city have agreed to share costs at the fairgrounds and use the facility as an equestrian center, as well as home to the county fair. Ellertson said the county will have to find a way to pay for the restroom and concession-stand improvements. He said the county may have to borrow money, with the goal of paying it off quickly. The arena houses livestock shows and rodeos, a well as the city's annual Fiesta Days rodeo in July. In 2010, the rodeo became an official stop for the PRCA's Wrangler Million Dollar Silver Tour.
https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=52464332&itype=CMSID
(deseret.com 7-15-97)
This year's Fiesta Days celebration offers an alternative to Utah County folks who prefer a community event with historical significance, says Mary-Clare Maslyn, assistant city manager.
The celebration runs July 21-24 and includes a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo and a visit from the president of Iceland.Spanish Fork's Fiesta Days this year will feature Olafur Grimsson, Iceland's president, as guest of honor in the Fiesta Days parade and rodeo on July 24. The parade draws over 100 entries and this year will include replicas of pioneer handcarts in addition to floats and high school bands.
"It's Americana at its best," said Maslyn.
Spanish Fork has close ties to Iceland because many of its residents are descendants of early pioneers from Iceland. Last year some of those descendants returned to Iceland and were reunited with distant relatives.
Grimsson's visit will be the first time a head of state has visited Spanish Fork, according to the Icelandic Association of Utah. He is expected to be present when a wreath is placed at the Icelandic monument in honor of those early pioneers. His itinerary also includes a luncheon with city officials, a tour of the cemetery where Icelandic graves will be marked and a tour of Icelandic homes that are still standing.
Grimsson will speak at a community fireside July 27 at 7 p.m. at the LDS Spanish Fork Stake Center, 1006 E. 200 South. Other speakers will be Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church and Janette Beckham, the church's Young Women's general president. Elder Wirthlin dedicated Iceland to missionary work, and Beckham is of Icelandic descent.
Grimsson is also expected to meet with the LDS Church's First Presidency on Monday and tour both Temple Square and Welfare Square.
Utah's pioneer heritage can be seen in many forms during this year's celebration. New this year is a pie baking contest, which is tied to the city's pioneer heritage. "We still have to find judges for the contest," said Maslyn. "We don't think it will be too hard."
The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers will set up exhibits again this year at Hughes Pioneer Park. They will demonstrate pioneer skills, including quilting, butter making and soap making, said Maslyn. The park at 150 S. Main St. is home to two pioneer cabins with authentic furnishings.
Another popular event is the fine arts competition, which is open to artists in all ages working in all media. Anyone may enter, said Maslyn. It is not confined to Spanish Fork residents. The deadline to enter is July 24, the last day of the event, which like many Fiesta Days events is held at the City Park at Main and Center streets.
Citizen award winners will be presented at 3 p.m. said Melana Urianza, chairman of the fine arts competition. Residents are the judges for that award and must cast their ballots by 2 p.m.
All told, 28 events are planned, including a tennis tournament, 10k race and one mile fun run for children. A highlight, said Maslyn, is the car show, which in the past has drawn up to 10,000 spectators. Another highlight is the children's parade the evening of July 23, which in the past has drawn up to 2,000 children on parade. A children's activities tent at the park will be handled by the Spanish City Youth Council.
Most events are free, noted Maslyn, with the exception of the rodeo, mud races and community theater, where "Peter Pan" will be performed at the Spanish Fork High School auditorium.
Spanish Fork's 55th annual rodeo will be held each night at 8 at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds. Events include saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, bareback riding, calf roping and bull riding. It will also include a children's event - mutton bustin'. Children ages 5 through 7 who weigh 60 pounds or less will ride sheep for eight seconds.
https://www.deseret.com/1997/7/15/19323526/spanish-fork-s-fiesta-days-to-blend-the-past-and-present
Formado en el Perú, el que fuera novillero llegó a actuar en España, Francia, México y otros países sudamericanos
(por mundotoro.com 11-17-22)
El novillero y torero norteamericano Miguel Stumer «Miguelito» falleció el pasado domingo 13 de noviembre en la ciudad de Mesa, en Arizona (EEUU).
Hijo del arqueólogo Louis Stume, Miguelito dio sus primeros pasos en el mundo del toro e inició su andadura profesional en tierras peruanas, aficionándose a los toros mientras su padre realizaba estudios en las huacas preincas sitas dentro de las dehesas peruanas de Salamanca y Chuquizongo.
Según informa perutaurino, hizo su presentación en la plaza de toros de Acho (Lima) el 3 de Julio de 1960, actuando como aficionado en la corrida que torearon «El Nene», Paco Céspedes y Luis Sánchez «Sanchito». El Libro «Historia de la Tauromaquia en el Perú» cita dos actuaciones de importante referencia en las que actuó Miguel Stumer el año 1961 y que fueron coincidentes con la presentación en Acho de las ganaderías de Salamanca y la de El Pinar. Además, el 12 de noviembre de ese mismo año, en el llamado Festival de la Navidad actuó al lado de los matadores españoles Gregorio Sánchez, Jaime Ostos, Antonio Borerro «Chamaco», José Maria Clavel y el portugués José Julio.
Hizo periplo en España actuando en diversas plazas de nuestro país, además de pisar algunos ruedos de Francia, México y otros países sudamericanos para posteriormente disfrutar el retiro en Arizona (Estados Unidos), desde donde ha participado en tertulias, tientas y festejos «a la portuguesa» de los que se organizan en los ranchos de California.
