Who was Ignacio Sánchez Mejías?
15 de January de 2026
The In Memoriam bullfight, held every June at Las Ventas once the San Isidro Festival has ended, has become one of the most traditional events
The latest edition of the San Isidro Fair could be seen as the fair of change. The results, by mid-June, will either confirm or refute such a statement, but what’s certain is that the lineups feature a large number of young matadors, with only a few years of experience but eager to make their mark in the profession and bring variety and versatility to each subscription’s combinations.
In addition to the confirmations of alternativa – up to five in the fair, and another one on Easter Sunday – there are around fifteen matadors who haven’t yet completed a decade in the top rankings, but have nonetheless earned the right to be present in the most significant event of the calendar. A triumph here could propel them into the circuit.
Perhaps it’s Román, who precisely commemorates a decade since El Juli invested him as a matador in the Roman coliseum of Nîmes, who is the most seasoned bullfighter of this new generation. The Valencian, a torero with a good reputation in Madrid, where he has triumphed on several occasions and suffered the most serious goring of his career, is announced for Saturday, May 11th, in the second bullfight of the series, alongside El Fandi and Leo Valadez, a Mexican torero also belonging to this group aiming to “refresh” a cast increasingly redundant. The bulls, a guarantee, are from Fuente Ymbro.
The following day (Sunday, May 12th), another classic returns to Madrid, the Baltasar Ibán ranch. Another young Mexican, Calita, who impressed greatly last summer in Las Ventas, along with two other members of this new generation, Francisco de Manuel and Francisco José Espada, who also know what it’s like to succeed in Madrid, complete one of the most appealing youthful trios in the program.
Another lineup of similar characteristics: Wednesday, May 22nd. Bulls from El Torero for David Galván, Álvaro Lorenzo, and Ángel Téllez. The Cádiz breed represents a reserve of caste, of bulls with fiber and nerve. Those that demand first and then appreciate. David Galván is a young veteran, who has a taste for interpretation and also possesses the craftsmanship he lacked before, which increasingly allows him to handle more and more bulls. Meanwhile, Álvaro Lorenzo and Ángel Téllez have already opened the big door of Las Ventas. Both from Toledo, they have credit and endorsements to get on the train. Lorenzo for his composure. Téllez because he exudes personality. The fans are still waiting for both of them.
Ten days later (Sunday, June 2nd), the company brings together three aspirants in an international trio that will face the bulls from Salamanca of Pedraza de Yeltes. This brand, which has the El Pilar bloodline, is highly appreciated by French fans. Last year, they won the September Concurso Bullfight at Las Ventas and this year they have a double appearance in the capital’s stronghold. The Frenchman Juan Leal opens the bill, currently the most renowned matador from his country outside its borders. Made in Spain, his way of interpreting in close quarters and extending the muletazo beyond imagination, despite being very close to the horns, is his main virtue and stronghold. Espada makes his second appearance in the fair in this lineup, completed by the Mexican Isaac Fonseca. The new Aztec promise is a bullfighter of courage and determination, who captivates the audience from the first cape pass due to his almost sensationalist attitude.
These are not the only young talents in a fair that also includes, among others, Tomás Rufo, Ginés Marín, Borja Jiménez, Colombo, Juan de Castilla, Damián Castaño, Gómez del Pilar, or Fernando Adrián. All of them will aim to materialize this spring in Madrid the increasingly necessary trend of opening fairs and lineups to this new deck of bullfighters. You, aficionado, or simply curious, have the opportunity to witness this change firsthand. Don’t let it slip away.
The In Memoriam bullfight, held every June at Las Ventas once the San Isidro Festival has ended, has become one of the most traditional events
Emiliano Osornio’s return to Madrid provided the standout moments of the Autumn Fair’s opening day. With the fifth novillo, he produced passages full of depth and composure, in a contest marked by the limited play of the livestock.
The 2025 Madrid Autumn Fair is the perfect showcase to take the pulse of bullfighting — especially of what lies ahead in the coming years. If the passion and imagination that the company has shown in crafting these original line-ups is matched in the ring, the fair could prove historic. Personally, I wouldn’t miss it.
