Do you know which was the best Autumn Fair in history?

The best Autumn Fair in history was the one held in the 1989 season, the last year of the remembered Manolo Chopera managing Las Ventas bullring. That edition had three bullfights and one novillada show, and in each and every one of the shows Puerta Grande of Las Ventas was opened.

The Fair began on Friday, September 29 with a novillada show with Manuel Álvarez bulls in which David Luguillano, Antonio Posada and Fernando Cámara performed. It was the latter, who had already left on shoulders in his presentation in this bullring in June, was the first winner of the cycle after cutting an ear of each of the bulls. His performance was so important that in the following year’s San Isidro Fair, he was able to perform with the legendary Rafael de Paula.

Feria de Otoño 1989

On Saturday 30th it was Curro Vázquez who opened the Puerta Grande of Las Ventas after a memorable performance to the bull “Borrador” of Victorino Martín. Together with Tomás Campuzano and Morenito de Maracay, the master from Linares commemorated his twentieth anniversary of alternative triumphing in Madrid.

On the first day of October, Julio Robles was the protagonist. The bullfighter gave a class of naturalness to solve with intelligence the santacolomeño bulls of great goodness but little strength. Juan Mora and Fernando Cepeda were privileged witnesses of the last exhibition in Las Ventas of this unforgettable bullfighter,

The last protagonist of that fair was Francisco Ruiz Miguel, who chose the Madrid bullring for his farewell to the ring on Monday, October 2. He fought six bulls from different herds in a bullfight without history until the sixth bull of Victorino Martín, to which the veteran bullfighter cut the two ears after a very emotional performance, which served to close the Autumn Fair with the best results of those that have been held to date.

Picture of José Miguel Arruego

José Miguel Arruego

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