Madrid Review – July 2, 2026
2 de July de 2026
*Images: Alfredo Arévalo Plaza 1
The second Cénate Las Ventas novillada was shaped by strong winds and the determination of all three novilleros, with Jairo López delivering the standout performance of the evening.
Las Ventas Bullring hosted the second event of the Cénate Las Ventas series, a novillada with picadores heavily influenced by strong gusts of wind and the inconsistent performance of the López Gibaja young bulls, making success difficult for all three novilleros.
In front of almost 4,200 spectators, Cristian González, Juan Alberto Torrijos and Jairo López displayed commitment and determination throughout the evening. However, problems with the sword prevented any of them from converting their performances into trophies.
Making his debut in the competition, Jairo López produced the most memorable moments of the night thanks to his fearless approach from the very beginning.
He opened his first contest with a daring greeting at the toriles gate followed by a spectacular kneeling larga cambiada, immediately demonstrating his willingness to take risks. With the muleta, he produced his finest work on the right hand, particularly during the closing stages of the faena, linking together composed, well-paced series of passes.
He finished the performance by taking the fight to close quarters in search of a reward, but an unsuccessful sword thrust meant his effort received only respectful silence from the crowd.
His second appearance showed the same determination. The faena improved steadily, featuring several quality right-handed passes, but a lack of complete understanding with the young bull, combined with another ineffective finish with the sword, denied him a greater reward. He eventually received a warm ovation after an aviso.
Cristian González found opportunities with the opening young bull, an animal that offered the best conditions of his two opponents and allowed him to display refined bullfighting on both the right hand and the natural side.
Despite these promising moments, the faena never fully connected with the Madrid crowd.
His second young bull provided very few opportunities, preventing him from developing his style.
Juan Alberto Torrijos produced some attractive natural passes against his first opponent, although the young bull gradually lost strength and willingness as the contest progressed.
His second appearance proved far more demanding, with a difficult animal that offered little chance to build a complete faena despite the novillero’s efforts.
The weather played a decisive role throughout the evening. Strong winds complicated the handling of the cape and muleta, forcing all three novilleros to exercise extra caution.
Added to this was a disappointing performance with the sword, which ultimately prevented several promising faenas from earning any trophies.
The López Gibaja young bulls were well presented but delivered mixed results. The first three provided greater opportunities for artistic expression, while the second half of the contest proved more demanding and lacked the quality required for outstanding performances.
Although the Puerta Grande remained out of reach, the commitment shown by all three novilleros—and especially the courage and determination of Jairo López—was one of the most appreciated aspects of another evening in Madrid’s summer bullfighting series.
Segunda novillada con picadores del certamen Cénate Las Ventas. 4.173 espectadores.
Novillos de López Gibaja, bien presentados y de juego desigual. Los tres primeros ofrecieron mejores opciones, mientras que la segunda parte del encierro resultó más exigente y con menor fondo.
silencio y silencio tras aviso.
silencio tras aviso y silencio.
silencio tras aviso y ovación tras aviso.
Images: Alfredo Arévalo Plaza 1
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