Las Ventas in September: The bull takes centre stage
21 de August de 2026
September brings the purest form of torismo to Las Ventas, with a rigorous selection of livestock challenges and highly regarded bloodlines that make the month a celebration of the true king of the bullfighting world.
The bull takes centre stage at Madrid’s Las Ventas Bullring throughout September. Promoter Plaza 1 has officially announced an intriguing and demanding Sunday series featuring a novillada picada, two livestock challenges and a competitive bullfight featuring different breeding lines.
This programme is a celebration of the purest form of torismo and of the breeding farms (ganaderías) regarded as cult names among aficionados: names that may have less prominence at the biggest headline fairs, but which hold a privileged place and enjoy widespread respect among the Las Ventas faithful for the purity and diversity of their bloodlines.
The world’s most prestigious bullring becomes the epicentre of authentic bullfighting. On these afternoons, the demands of the spectacle and the traditional ritual of the tercio de varas, the mounted-picador stage, take centre stage. To enhance the visual impact of the picador’s work, the designated area for the puyazo is officially marked out between Stands 7 and 8, with three lines drawn towards the centre of the arena. These markings help assess the bull’s bravery, determination, distance and charge towards the horse.
The month begins on Sunday 6 September at 6:00 pm with a fascinating novillada picada featuring bulls from six different breeding farms. Three young prospects will make their official appearances at Las Ventas, facing a varied selection of young bulls representing different breeding lines.
*Breeding farms: Young bulls from Jiménez Pasquau, Ángel Luis Peña, La Machamona, Chamaco, Guadajira and José González.
*Novilleros: Adrián Centenera, Tomás González and Mexican youngster Andrés García, brother of El Payo. All three will make their debut at Madrid’s Las Ventas.
On Sunday 13 September, the first major contest between tough and demanding breeding lines will take place, bringing together the fierceness of Santa Coloma blood, particularly the Ibarra line descended from Graciliano and Alipio Pérez Tabernero.
*Breeding farms: Three bulls from Valdellán and three from Juan Luis Fraile.
*Matadors: Pérez Mota, Alberto Lamelas and José Carlos Venegas.
On Sunday 20 September, the focus will turn to the presence, conformation and distinctive character of two legendary bloodlines within Spanish fighting-bull breeding. The challenge will test the matadors against the particular difficulties and qualities of these unique lines.
*Breeding farms: Three bulls from Veiga Teixeira (Gamero Cívico bloodline) and three from Partido de Resina (the historic former Pablo-Romero line).
*Matadors: Mexican matador Fermín Rivera, who will confirm his alternative at Las Ventas, alongside Damián Castaño and Gómez del Pilar.
The highlight of September’s torista programme will arrive on Sunday 27 September at 6:00 pm with the traditional and highly demanding Corrida Concurso de Ganaderías.
This unique event will see six bulls from six different breeding farms, each with its own morphological characteristics, compete for awards including the bravest bull, best picador and best matador. The bulls will be fought in strict order of the seniority of their respective breeding farms.
*Breeding farms: Saltillo, Palha, Castillejo de Huebra, Conde de la Corte, Pallarés and Valdellán.
*Matadors: A young and ambitious line-up of matadors with proven ability and promising careers: Mexican Isaac Fonseca, Cristian Pérez and Alejandro Chicharro.
