“This time is a balance between number of races and quality”

Hadrien Poujol entame ce dimanche sa troisième saison à la tête de la programmation des courses à Lunel. Midi Libre – JPS

Hadrien Poujol is the service provider of the company Maestria production for the programming of bullfighting shows in the arenas. This Sunday, with the reception of the Royale de Méjanes in San Juan, it begins its 3rd season. Encounter.

In 2022, for your first season you wanted to restore visibility to the Lunel arenas by multiplying the races, last year your programming was tightened on the qualitative, how are you approaching this new time ?

This temporada is, in a way, the confirmation of the work carried out during the first two. It’s a balance between number of races and quality and a response to the municipality which asks me for the highest possible level. This year, however, I had three constraints in terms of the number of races: the federal calendar, the concerts in the arenas and the fact that July 14 falls on a Sunday. There was therefore no question of offering a race while everyone was focused on the traditional aperitif. There will therefore be only one race for the Pescalune but it will be the biggest of the year on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the 3M trophy. A large plateau with the gold biou and that of l’Avenir, Castella and Siffleur, and two bulls who will compete for the gold biou this year: Cobalt and Ripart.

Sunday (*), you chose to open the season with a new Royale, that of Méjanes, explain this choice to us…

It’is indeed a bet since it has been ten years since the mand of Méjanes, formerly Ricard, has not released a Royale but the manadier and the arenas assume this bet because all the bulls on this plateau exploded last year. They are very noble beasts, very barricades and 3 are stars: Vivario, Palun and the biou of the Future, Siffleur.

We then continue Easter Monday with the Royale des Royales of the moment, Saumade…

I would like to emphasize first of all that we have made the choice, for two years, to attack the temporada with two Royales, and we are keeping it. As for Saumade, indeed, it’s the best of the best and we will be the only arena to program Vizir, Vicaire, Cobalt and Castella. Then, on May 20, I propose a very cowardly race for the Castro Trophy.

On the raseteurs side, this year we are returning to the team loyal to San Juan led by the 2023 multi-winner Ziko Katif but still without Joaquim Cadenas, why ?< /p>

It will indeed be the usual team that I support with Ziko as spearhead surrounded by Félix, Marignan, Martin, Zekraoui… As for Cadenas, I regret his absence, I tried to have him in Lunel and in Nîmes but the lack of respect from his apoderado and his financial demands mean that I cannot follow.

But how do you explain that one of today's biggest raseteurs does not want to come to Lunel or Nîmes ?

There are things that I don't explain and that I can't explain. At this time, it is confirmed, he will not come. I regret it because I think it is important for him, for aficion and for bullfighting that we are brought together and that the greats compete in large arenas and offer great moments. This is important for the economy of Camargue racing. But, as organizers, we cannot accept everything. But the arenas of Lunel like those of Nîmes will always be open to him.

At the Nîmes arenas, you agreed to join forces with director Simon Casas. Is it possible that during the future renewal of the management of the Lunel arenas you will do the same with Maestria ?

Simon Casas offered to partner with him and I accepted because it is an honor for me to work with the biggest arena company and bullfighting. With Maestria, I have been a service provider for 3 years, the arena is demanding, it's a discovery, but I consider that the results are positive in terms of bullfighting. For the future, we haven't talked about it yet, we'll see that in time.

Your relationship with the Pescalune trophy was a little complicated at the end of the last season, how do you view your work with the bullfighting clubs ?

I work with them for the entire season, I submit my sets to them so that they can tell me what they think about it and I ask them for help because they have historical perspective on the arenas. With the Pescalune trophy, we continue to work in close collaboration but I also hope that it goes both ways because they have preferential rates and a significant responsibility also on subscriptions.

Royale de Méjanes, this Sunday March 24, San Juan arenas at 3:30 p.m.