Bullfighting on Horseback

I know there's a long thread on bullfighting from a year ago, but this is touching on a somewhat different form of bullfighting.

I know that in Portugal and in parts of France they bullfight on horseback. Yet, I just finished watching a National Geographic program on bullfighting and they featured a young bullfighter from Mexico that fought the bull on horseback. He was not a picador, he was the matador. He wasn't dressed in the traje de luz but rather in the traditional dress of a Sevillano or Andaluz, nor was the horse (an Andulucian) protected by a padding. The bullfighter used the banderillas then afterwards to kill the bull he used his sword while on horseback. I've never seen this type of bullfighting before, at least from Mexico which usually adheres to the traditional bullfight. Has anyone in Spain seen this type of bullfighting done in Spain or other Spanish speaking country?

My first corrida was of this type. It was in Valencia and it was called "Corrida del Arte del Rejoneo." As I remember, all but one of the toreros were Portuguese.

Cogito cogito ergo sum cogito

That style is called "rejoneo" and it is pretty common in Spain. The corridas in that style are called "corridas de rejones". There are not as many rejoneadores as "classic" toreros, but they are not scarce, either.

To me, its the most impressive kind of bullfighting. The beautiful and beautfully trained horses, the confidence they place in their rider to keep them out of reach of the horns--and their rider controlling two animals at the same time.

This seems to be rich man's sport--with rejoneadors coming from wealthy families having the resources to maintain a stable of horses and the time to develop the skills--often with the proceeds of fights going to charity.

It is Jerez tradition that the first bullfight (on Wednesday) of the Feria del Caballo in May, be a rejoneo. Fermin Bohorquez Domecq and Alvaro Domecq Romero are two of the best known rejoneadores in Jerez, if not Spain...

I've been to a rejoneo in the Plaza de Toros de Madrid. It was amazing. If you ever have a chance to see one live, go!

I had the chance too see Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza (a Spaniard from Navarra) do a rejoneo a few years ago back in Mexico. He was absolutely amazing and spectacular. However, I am not a rejoneo or toreo connoisseur. You can check out Pablo's website at http://www.pablohermoso.net (Only in Spanish). He does a short temporada every year in Mexico and visits some border-towns on the Mexican side. So you might go down there for a weekend and enjoy the corrida de rejones. Totally worth it seeing this guy.

This form of bullfighting really impressed me. The torero was great and the horse was awesome, prancing majestically as if it new he was on the spotlight! I have to admit I've never heard of this type of bullfight nor have I ever seen postors of these rejoneadores. It's always of the matadores. Do rejoneadores have the same prestige as matadores in Spain?

Rejoneo is the most difficult variety of bullfighting, but also the most beautiful. Rejoneadores are more prestigious than bullfighters.

They train horses from their very birth not to be afraid of bulls and to avoid their horns. The horses are very very beautiful and have a distinct way of moving and behaving (as if they were dancing).

I'm not an expert, but you can check this link which seems very complete (it's in spanish though):

www.elrejoneo.com