The Pontevedra bullring celebrates 125 years of history and 50 years in the hands of the Lozano family: the place where Antoñete cut off his last bull's tail.

The Pontevedra Bullring is the cornerstone of bullfighting in Galicia, the last bastion. This season marks 125 years of history (August 12, 1900), 50 of which have been in the hands of the Lozano family , who have organized 203 bullfights there. The San Roque Bullring has witnessed memorable bullfights, hosting the greatest figures of bullfighting and establishing itself as an essential reference point for the bullfighting summer. Its passionate and loyal fans have contributed to forging the legend of this bullring.

Legendary figures and their exploits

The Pontevedra arena has seen the parade of bullfighters who have left an indelible mark. Enrique Ponce holds the record for the most bullfights, with 20 performances, earning 32 ears and 12 Puerta Grande passes. He is closely followed by El Juli , with 17 performances, 31 ears, and 10 exits on shoulders, and El Fandi , who has totaled 16 performances, cut 33 ears, pardoned one bull, and crossed the Puerta Grande 11 times.

Espartaco deserves a separate chapter. He debuted with picadors in this arena and returned decades later to celebrate his 30th anniversary as an alternative bullfighter. With 14 performances (four as a novillero), 34 ears, one tail, and 11 Puertas Grandes (Main Doors), Espartaco is the bullfighter with the most trophies in the history of the bullring.

Other notable names include Sebastián Palomo Linares (14 paseíllos, 18 ears, 2 tails) and César Rincón (13 afternoons, 10 ears, 2 Puertas Grandes), who, curiously, also performed in the comedy show "El Toronto". Sebastián Castella signed 12 performances with 19 ears and 7 Puertas Grandes. Morante de la Puebla has left his mark with 9 paseíllos and 5 ears, leaving the ring on shoulders on one occasion. Antonio Ferrera has 8 afternoons, 7 ears, one pardon and 2 Puertas Grandes. Luis Miguel Dominguín fought 7 afternoons, cut 10 ears and left the ring on shoulders on 4 occasions. Also noteworthy is the career of Daniel Luque , with an impressive average of 17 ears in just 6 paseíllos, giving him the highest number of ears cut in relation to his performances.

Historical milestones: Pardons and tails

The recent history of the Pontevedra bullring has seen 213 performances with two ears, 64 performances with two ears and a tail , and two pardons, moments that will remain in the memory of fans.

The first pardon in the Pontevedra bullring occurred on August 10, 2003, when Antonio Ferrera spared the life of "Fígaro," a 510-kilo brindle red-faced bull from the Alcurrucén ranch. The second and final pardon was granted by El Fandi on August 8, 2009, to the bull "Turco," a black specimen from Torrealta.

The first tail cut in Pontevedra dates back to July 4, 1920, when Ignacio Sánchez Mejías obtained this trophy from a bull owned by Graciliano Pérez Tabernero. The last tail was awarded on August 15, 1985, to Antoñete , from a bull owned by El Torreón. Since then, no bullfighter has had a tail cut in this bullring. Curiously, the only bullfighters who have each cut two tails are Palomo Linares and Manuel Benítez "El Cordobés" .

Outstanding livestock farms and bullring management

Alcurrucén leads the ranking of ranches in Pontevedra, with 36 bullfights. Victorino Martín has made his mark for 11 consecutive years, with eight complete bullfights and the memorable afternoon when three of his bulls were awarded a lap of honor. El Torreón has fought six complete bullfights, and Torrealta has five, including the bull pardoned by El Fandi. Santiago Domecq has participated in three complete bullfights.

The bullring has hosted four bullfights with eight bulls and two mano a mano matches. The first, unannounced, took place on August 10, 1980, between Palomo Linares and Espartaco. The second took place on August 10, 2003, with bulls from Alcurrucén for Ferrera and El Fandi.

The first bullfighter to cut an ear in Pontevedra was Ricardo Torres "Bombita Chico" on August 12, 1900, from the bull "Atrevido" owned by Don Juan Muriel. That same day, "Bombita Chico" was also the first bullfighter to be carried out on shoulders through the Puerta Grande. The only alternative granted in the Pontevedra bullring was on August 4, 2007, to Sebastián Palomo Danko , sponsored by César Rincón and with José Tomás as a witness.

The Lozano family has managed the Pontevedra bullring for five decades, organizing a total of 203 events. Pontevedra is not just history; it is emotion, loyalty, and respect for bullfighting. Every August, the Monumental de San Roque becomes the bullfighting epicenter of the north, where legends reunite with glory and art blossoms to the clamor of one of the most enthusiastic fans in the country.