Feria de Béziers 2024: Clemente triumphs in the wind against the bulls of Margé

Clemente a coupé deux oreilles symboliques de Neptune. Midi Libre – Giacomo Italiano

Two ears for Clemente and one for Olsina during the closing bullfight of the Feria.

Arènes de Béziers.
7,000 spectators.
Toros de Robert Margé.
Juan Leal: silence and two vueltas after petition.
Clemente: silence after notice and two symbolic ears.
Carlos Olsina: ear and silence after two notices.

It is impossible to analyze this closing bullfight without taking into account the violent wind, often called the third horn of the bull, which largely disrupted the bullfight. The capes and muletas were transformed into flags, subject to the whims of Aeolus for four bulls.

We must therefore take our hats off to all the actors in the ring who braved the elements with exemplary courage. Obviously, it was impossible to reach artistic heights in these conditions with numerous clashes of fabrics that develop defects in the bulls.

 What regrets, because Robert Margé's bullfight with bulls of uneven sizes had as a common denominator armour that looked like two real daggers on the head. Bibs 3 and 5 showed remarkable class and substance during the faenas.

Ear for Olsina

Each in their own style, the three maestros deserved the praise of the public for their commitment. Juan Leal hit a first toro which gave him few options. His effort against his second Margé garnered the majority of votes from the public to recognize his performance. But the palco ignored the ear petition which was nevertheless more supported than for Castella and Parejo on Thursday, which leaves a feeling of arbitration at home.

Carlos Olsina hit an excellent first Margé with the muleta and built a faena of remarkable depth despite the wind. An undeniable ear rewarded his performance. The last bull of the Feria turned out to be the worst of the bullfight. Faced with a stopped and bottomless Margé, the Biterrois made impossible efforts to try to tear off a second ear. Olsina even narrowly avoided serious injury when he remained hanging on to the horns for a long time, at the moment of the descabello.

Clemente was therefore the triumphant of this bullfight. He had already served several artistic details of his refined toreo against his first Margé. But he then shone with the depth of his toreo against Neptune, where he multiplied the deep series in front of a bull that charged tirelessly with class. In the end, Margé was pardoned and received two symbolic ears.

Olivier Margé: “An important bull for our breeding”

As much as Revilla's indulto in 2023 had created jubilation in the arenas, Neptune's pardon was contested by a significant portion of the public. Each indulto provokes controversy and opinion was divided.

Some considered that this faena had not been a bullfighting summit justifying such a trophy. Even if the excellent Clemente showed himself to be up to the event, despite the wind which prevented him from delivering the best of his toreo.
Others will recall that this fifth bull from Margé took two pikes bravely, the second by attacking the cavalry from the center of the ring. Then, Neptune tirelessly charged with class the muleta of the Bordeaux bull for eighty passes. By combining qualities of bravery, nobility and extraordinary depth.

Olivier Margé readily acknowledged that this indulto was generous. “Neptune was our last bull in a Marquis de Domecq line from our breeding. For the future of our ganaderia, it was important to keep it, given the exceptional qualities of this bull. But, I am sorry, because I recognize that we were insistent in asking for his pardon” .

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