Dax Fair 2025: Roca Rey cape, misters and "welcome booklet" echo from the bullfight callejon on Friday, August 15

Six bulls by Juan Pedro Domecq for Juan Ortega (silence and silence), Andres Roca Rey (applause and two ears) and Tristan Barroso (one ear and applause)

The arrival in Dax of Andres Roca Rey and his cuadrilla did not go unnoticed on Thursday evening. In order to reach the Hotel Splendid where the Peruvian matador was sleeping before performing in the arenas this Friday, August 15, the gleaming 4x4 in which he traveled and his black cuadrilla coach had to cut through the crowds of revelers. The last few hundred meters, along the Cours de Verdun, were obviously covered slowly, to the sound of the Los Copleros band performing on the stage bordering the track.

The world number 1 and his team had time to observe the festive excitement, after spending the rest of their day in peace and quiet and dining at the Étable de Marquestau, the restaurant opened in Hontanx by Thomas Dufau. On Instagram, we could see the Montois matador and Andres Roca Rey cooking beautiful duck breasts.

It seems that some people didn't really appreciate the change in the schedule of the bullfight on Friday, August 15, which was postponed from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. due to the high temperatures. Around ten of them reportedly asked to be reimbursed for their ticket prices, without success, as the taquilla states: "This is a delay due to weather conditions, not a postponement of the bullfight to a later date, so tickets are not refundable under these conditions."

During this bullfight, which began at 8 p.m., some fans felt nostalgic for the misting system, which is very useful in these hot weather and which the bullrings are also equipped with. Used during the 2022 bullfighting season, the taps were turned off the following year, despite the intense heat at Toros y Salsa.

The deputy mayor in charge of ferias, Pascal Dagès, justified this decision by citing complaints from people near the pipes, who were showered rather than misted. Would they have complained this time, with a temperature felt like 41 degrees at the time of the paseo?

Andres Roca Rey donated a cape in his name to the Association of Visitors to Patients at Dax Hospital. The presentation took place just before the 8 p.m. paseo, in a patio of cuadrillas where everyone wanted to see the world number 1. Let's hope the same happens when this cape, which the Peruvian took the time to autograph, is put up for auction. The lucky winner will be chosen through a draw held during Toros y Salsa.

With an ear from each of his Espartaco erales, Ignacio Garibay (midnight blue and gold) was declared the winner of the novilladas competition without picador at this 2025 Dax fair. This young Mexican bullfighter, son of a matador of the same name, swept the prizes up for grabs for the final this Friday, August 15. Invited to participate in this competition as a replacement for another novillero, Ignacio Garibay captivated the audience with the variety of his cape play and his dedication.

Having won by an ear over his first opponent, Manuel Quintana (white and silver) did not disgrace himself. The Cordovan produced some interesting muletazas. The two-year-old Espartaco cattle disappointed with their bland character, with the exception of the last eral, whose lively charges allowed the Mexican to shine by playing with distances.

In order to best introduce newbies to the basics of bullfighting, the Dax bullring is sparing no effort. Beyond social media activities—with live streams allowing viewers to follow the sorteo of the bulls and publications identifying the members of the bullfighters' cuadrillas—a "welcome booklet" is available for each bullfight during the bullfighting season.

Available online from the arenesdedax.com website, the 14-page document presents the ganaderia and the bullfighters of the day, with links to videos. The bullfighting history of the spa town, the glossary, and an educational explanation of bullfighting are then read.