Julián López Escobar
Encyclopedia
Julián López Escobar commonly known as El Juli, is a Spanish bullfighter
.
, as Spain required novilleros (junior matador) to be of at least 16 years of age.
On March 16, 1997, at the age of 14, Julián made his bullfighting debut in Texcoco, Mexico
. He finished with a standing ovation and received two ears. In bullfighting, the detached ears of the dead bull(s) are trophies, which are awarded for an above average bullfight.
Approximately one year later, on September 18, 1998, Julián received his alternativa in Nîmes
, France
. This marked the passage from being a novillero to a full-fledged matador de toros (senior bullfighter). At age 15, he was the youngest professional bullfighter in the history of the sport. Julián led a toast to his father, a former novillero forced into retirement after losing his right eye in a bullfight.
By the age of 17, Julián had grown to become the highest-paid bullfighter in history. Not only did his good looks and affluent background popularize him, but his skills in the ring were unmatched. Julián no longer places his own banderillas (spiked banners), which is typically the job of the banderillero. Only highly talented matadors can do this, as it is very difficult, and requires an equal amount of training as you need to become a matador. Additionally, in three out of his 134 performances in 1999, he was the lone matador. This meant killing all six bulls during the fight, rather than the usual two bulls a matador fights during a bullfight. Doing this feat requires great skill and stamina, which further enhances his sparkling reputation.
During the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain in 2010, he was injured and had to be hospitalized due to the bull that he was killing goring him in the scrotum.
Matador
A torero or toureiro is a bullfighter and the main performer in bullfighting, practised in Spain, Colombia, Portugal, Mexico, France and various other countries influenced by Spanish culture. In Spanish, the word torero describes any of the performers who actively participate in the bullfight...
.
Biography
After he caped his first bull at the young age of nine, Julián's wealthy family enrolled him in the Madrid Academy of Tauromachy. After years of studying, he moved to Mexico to perform in bullfightsBullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
, as Spain required novilleros (junior matador) to be of at least 16 years of age.
On March 16, 1997, at the age of 14, Julián made his bullfighting debut in Texcoco, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. He finished with a standing ovation and received two ears. In bullfighting, the detached ears of the dead bull(s) are trophies, which are awarded for an above average bullfight.
Approximately one year later, on September 18, 1998, Julián received his alternativa in Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This marked the passage from being a novillero to a full-fledged matador de toros (senior bullfighter). At age 15, he was the youngest professional bullfighter in the history of the sport. Julián led a toast to his father, a former novillero forced into retirement after losing his right eye in a bullfight.
By the age of 17, Julián had grown to become the highest-paid bullfighter in history. Not only did his good looks and affluent background popularize him, but his skills in the ring were unmatched. Julián no longer places his own banderillas (spiked banners), which is typically the job of the banderillero. Only highly talented matadors can do this, as it is very difficult, and requires an equal amount of training as you need to become a matador. Additionally, in three out of his 134 performances in 1999, he was the lone matador. This meant killing all six bulls during the fight, rather than the usual two bulls a matador fights during a bullfight. Doing this feat requires great skill and stamina, which further enhances his sparkling reputation.
During the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain in 2010, he was injured and had to be hospitalized due to the bull that he was killing goring him in the scrotum.