Victorino Martín's Livestock Debuted in Alicante in 1986

When the first bull of the afternoon enters the ring on Saturday, June 28, to face Manuel Escribano, it will mark 39 years since Victorino Martín's livestock debuted in Alicante. Since then, they have fought twice more: June 25, 2023, and June 24, 2024. On both occasions, two bulls returned to the ring: Venganza-41, fought by Rafaelillo, and Boliviano-1, fought by Escribano.

"Varied, well-typed, and well-presented." This is how Miguel Lizón described the bullfight in the pages of the daily Información, where Victorino Martín's brand debuted in Alicante with five specimens - the sixth of the afternoon was from Los Bayones. Among the 'victorinos', the "steadiness, bravery in the picador, and humility" stood out. The most challenging bull during its fight was the 5th, the second in Ruiz Miguel's lot.

This was the summary of the bullfighters' performances: Gregorio Tébar, (applause and salutes, and a lap of honour after a warning); Francisco Ruiz Miguel, an ear and a lap of honour; Dámaso González, an ear and a lap of honour after a warning.

It took 37 years for the 'victorinos' to reach Alicante. It happened on June 24, 2023, with Nacho Lloret as the manager of the company Eventos Mare Nostrum, as it did a year later and will repeat in 2025. Rafaelillo, Manuel Escribano - replacing Morante de la Puebla - and Pablo Aguado - who debuted with this brand - made the paseo. In the pens, a bullfight with the following weights: 468, 503, 524, 474, 493, and 477 kilos. Venganza-41, Planeante-96, Borrajero-35, Morerías-91, Hermanado-4, and Molinito-77 formed the encierro.

There was the curiosity that four of those names, taken from the livestock's website, did not match the order of the fight made public on the morning of an event that gathered 8,062 spectators. These were: Planeador-96, Monerías-91, Hermenéutico-4, and Mocito-77. Among them, Venganza-41 stood out, which Rafaelillo unhooked, and was posthumously awarded. He cut another appendage from the second of his lot after a warning. Manuel Escribano, applause and salutes, and an ear after a warning. Pablo Aguado, silence after a warning, and applause and salutes.

Manuel Escribano and Boliviano-1 became the main protagonists of the afternoon of June 24, 2024, with 6,412 spectators in the stands. The bullfighter from Gerena cut an ear from the 'victorino' fought in 5th place after hearing a warning, taking two laps of honour, and witnessing the boos the audience directed at President José Antonio Fernández. Precisely, the same official who sat in the Box the previous year with this same livestock. Rafaelillo, applause and salutes, in both of his lot; Borja Jiménez, applause and salutes, and an ear.

Disparate-49, Esquinero-47, Placentino-65, Bombacho-41, Boliviano-1, and Cobrador-76 were the names and numbers of those bulls. Their respective weights: 494, 515, 500, 519, 510, and 557 kilos. According to the livestock's website, "it was a well-presented bullfight, typical of the house. Well-bred and of great play, in general. The bullfighters lost many triumphs due to the steel. The 3rd and 5th (Placentino-65 and Boliviano-1) stood out."