Bullfighting across the ages

You'd think that bullfighting was risky enough for matadors without bringing children into the mix.

Well, Michelito, an 11-year-old apprentice matador, fought and killed six young bulls over the weekend in southern Mexico. The face-off took place just a few hours after a ban on the controversial corrida was overturned, reported the Guardian.

Agence France Press reported that Michel Lagravere, known as Michelito, performed before a crowd of about 4,000 in the bullring of his home city, Merida.

The president of the ring awarded him the honor of two bull ears, and he was carried out of the ring on the shoulders of his admirers. "I am happy to have achieved this great victory," Michelito said after the fight.

You can see a video of Michelito in action here.

Go here for last year's coverage of the Huamantlada, an amateur bullfighting festival in the Mexican state of Tlaxcala.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[ken vose]

I have seen Michelito fight twice in Yucatan, and I can assure you that the kid has real talent - which is no surprise given his family history.

Unfortunately there is probably a 50/50 chance that many teenagers are in danger of being killed before they reach 16.

[brettstrodamus]

The kid is cute, but keep it realistic. The "bulls" are calves and they are as awkward as the kid. In the video the kids pases are childish, the way he moves his feet constantly to keep pace with the calves, and his cape work is rarely steady. The hand on the calves back during a weakly executed redondo and the kneeling to the bull are tricks, not really quality. His atttempts at chicuelinas and veronicas are childish, WHICH IS OK BECAUSE HE IS A CHILD!
However to compare him to Mozart is absurd, and only a father blinded with pride would make the comparison.
Brettstrodamus predicts that this kid will suffer serious injury if put in the ring with anything other than a little calf whose horns have been dulled and then blackened, and there is certainly a 50/50 chance of him being killed before he reaches 16.
That said, congratulations to Merida for bringing back the corridas.