TOP TEN TORERO FOTOS 2006
PREDICTIONS FOR 2007
2006 I wore myself out attending just 50 corridas. A far site less than those centurions of the famed 100 club.
Sevilla, Madrid, Granada, Alicante, Mexico and of course Almeria was the usual route with some side trips to villages like Cehegin for Talavante’s alternative.
A golden era still continues even if the Catalans don’t wish to acknowledge it.
As always it was the top toreros that filmed best, corrida after corrida. They took the most risks, made the best passes.
1. Sebastian Castella was in my opinion the most sought after torero amongst those that know the “fiesta nacional”. Almost every performance he used his deep repertoire to please and astound alike. His gutsy show in Sevilla brought them to their feet. He is this year’s number one draw for the aficionados and deserves it. The press like to refer to his style as the “vertical torero” and he is—top of the list.
2. David Fandila EL FANDI owns the records: two straight years in the renown 100 club and top of the rankings. He no longer is a tremadista but now has temple to his passes.
The festive public might shout for “show time” and he goes back his inherent athleticism to perform but he can do a lot more.
No one is even close to him with the banderillas-- consequently he reverts to his legs too much for attention rather than the subtlety of his wrists. Not many would attempt to kill with no “out” for the toro.
3. EL JULI is so good that he just doesn’t have to make the effort, but when he does he is unquestionably one of the top Toreros of the era.
The only authentic doubt is— does he want to continue taking the risks that he will incontestably be forced to do to compete with family dynasties that are now knocking at the plazas portals.
4 Veteran Enrique Ponce has slowed down some. Nevertheless he cuts awards at every feria without exception. Last year in Sevilla he took two clamorous vueltas. Had he killed well he might have cut tails. Always picture perfect and finally increasing his variation in passes.
5. My torero is Cesar Jimenez. He walks it, talks it, breathes it and is THE complete torero.
The easiest to photograph his movements are controlled and predictable yet his knowledge of bulls allows him to become inventive should the bull respond.
6. Morante de la Puebla is fast becoming the “Curro Romero of the 21st century”. In Sevilla they refer to him as the Torero of the Toreros! Nothing less. As per rule, those from Sevilla are starting to distribute trigs of romeo. If the toro comes out on rails and has no idiosyncrasies Morante is brilliant.
But, usually he is deplorable, feigns five passes and kills his adversary. A terrible waste and loss considering there are so hungry upstarts just waiting in the wings for their chance to take risks and please the claquers in the crowd.
Who else would smoke a cigar
After cutting two ears?
7. Cayetano Ordonez is the great hope, should be and deservedly is so. Forget the dynasty …the just seems to know as if it was part of his blood, his genetic heritage—oh hell, dynasty!
He could be the greatest ever—herein is a true “esperanza”.
8. Talavante is here and now. Some call him the reincarnation of Saint Jose Tomas, others allude to his slender presence as if Manolete had reappeared.
He is viewed as frail and lost with the big boys but give him a cape and he knows his stuff and is learning each day. Watch for him if he isn’t torn apart because he performs using the old Belmontian system of making the toro always charge around the matador to get at the cape. Always risky … but truthful in the ring, especially when 95% of the others his age continue to stand to the side and throw the muleta directly in front of the toro.
9 El Cid has few frills but his basics are sublime and superb. Look carefully at his text book “natural” and you will see how truthful he is—always. 
Deserved triumphs in Sevilla and Madrid have put him on the feria route as a regular. He will need to spark up his variation of passes as others are coming along emulating some of Mexico’s ancient passes and drawing a learned following.
Waiting in the wings…. Good and competent toreros keep the fiesta nacional strong.
Pepin Liria is still the best working man’s matador—always pleasing.
Young Matias Tejela is coming on well with trophies from the main plazas last year. I predict a giant leap for him this year.
Finito de Cordoba topped the rankings a few years back and has since decided to torear “outside of Cordoba”.
Javier Conde is always fun to see, and if he likes the bull …. Gypsy Magic!
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TOP TEN TOREROS FOR 2007.
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