BULLFIGHTING VOCABULARY: ANIMALS
Cabestros
Cabestros are castrated male cattle from a breed different from fighting bulls. Ranchers train them to stay calm and obey people. They help move and control the fighting bulls on the ranch. During encierros and in bullrings, cabestros lead the herd through the streets and into the pens. You can recognize them by the bells around their necks.
Tienta
Ranchers test both male and female bulls when they are about two years old. This test shows if they are good for breeding, bullfighting, or meat.
Ranchers judge male bulls by how they charge the horse, because the bull does not face a man on foot until the day of the fight. A professional bullfighter tests the females using a cape to check their courage and behavior.
If a bull passes the test, it returns to the fields. Also, when a cow passes, ranchers use her to have calves. That is the bravery selection.
Novillos
Novillos are male bulls that are under three years old or not brave or strong enough to become full fighting bulls. Bullfighters in training, called novilleros, fight these bulls in special events called novilladas.
Toro (Bull)
A toro is a bull from an Iberian cattle breed. Breeders raise these bulls for bullfighting. They choose them for strength, energy, intelligence, and aggressive behavior.
These bulls grow more slowly than meat cattle because breeders want them to be athletic and powerful. They have very strong muscles in the neck and shoulders, called the morrillo, which gives them their special shape and helps them fight with their horns. Their horns are longer than those of most cattle, and both males and females have them.
Adult bulls usually weigh between 500 and 700 kilos (1,100–1,600 pounds). They can have different colors, but black is the most common.
Toro de Lidia / Toro Bravo
A Toro de Lidia (also called Toro Bravo) is a male fighting bull. Breeders raise and select these bulls to take part in encierros (running of the bulls) and corridas de toros (bullfights).
Vaquillas/Novillas: female wild cow of the same breed as the fighting bulls between two and four years old. They are traditionally used in place of fighting bulls or novillos for capeas or encierros in village celebrations because they are much smaller and less likely to cause grave damage. Vaquillas are the bulls in the baby bull running
Becerra: Baby bull, a female baby bull with 1 year old
VOCABULARY: BULLFIGHTERS
Banderilleros: Each matador has 3 banderilleros or “Flagmen” who are also considered as toreros or bullfighters. They perform in the first and second third of the corrida.
Rejoneador: Its a horse ridding man, who is going to bullfight a bull ridding horses. Its typical of Portuguese and Spain.
Cuadrilla: The 6 assistants of a matador are collectively known as a cuadrilla, or an entourage: 2 picadores, 3 banderilleros, and 1 mozo de espada.
Matadores: Matador de toros literally translated as “bull killer” is the professional level of a bullfighter.
Mozo de espadas: The matador’s assistant or “sword page”. The mozo de espadas prepares and hands the matador all the equipment necessary during the corrida.
Novillero: a junior bullfighter who is still in training and has not yet been declared matador de toros. Novilleros fight novillos to gain experience. These fights usually take place in small towns and villages during their celebrations.
Subalterno: A member of the cuadrilla, a banderillero.
Picadores: Bullfighters or “Lancers,” mounted on horseback with varas (lances). During the first stage of the bullfight the picador enters the arena on horseback armed with a vara. The horse is protected from the bull by a petro, a protective mattress-like covering.
Alguacilillo – Ring marshal (official overseeing the rules and procession)
Torero: The term torero or “bullfighter” includes matadores, picadores and banderilleros.
Recortador: The term torero or “bullfighter” , this bullfighter never kills the bull and dont use any tool to face a bull. They use to jump, zig, or run as close as possible to the bull. There are conquests all over Spain, and is getting popular nowadays. See a video here.
VOCABULARY: BULLFIGHT
Banderillas: Translated literally as “little flags” which are harpoon-pointed colorful sticks that are jabbed into the bull’s back.
Capote: gold and magenta dress cape used in the first third of the corrida
Chicuelina: Movement with the capote, very stylish where the bull use to pass close to the bullfighter
Descabello: The act of severing the bull’s spinal cord with a vedugo.
Estocada: a quick sword thrust between the bull’s shoulder blades and through the heart. This movement is intended to result in a quick and clean death.
Faena: The third stage of the corrida performance with a muleta consisting of a series of tandas.
Indultado: A few times a year a bull will be indultado, or ‘pardoned’, meaning his life is spared due to ‘outstanding’ behavior in the bullring. The audience petitions its pardon by waving white handkerchiefs. If pardoned, the bull is returned to the field where he will live up to 20 to 25 years and be used as a stud. See a video here.
Lidiar/Torear: Verb “to bullfight”.
Muleta: small red cape used in the third stage of the Spanish bullfight
Paseíllo: A parade of all the toreros through the arena before a corrida.
Tanda: Series of passes between the bull and torero: a typical tanda might consist of three to five basic passes and then a finishing touch, or “remate”, such as a “pase de pecho“, or “pase de desprecio“.
Tercios: A corrida is divided into three tercios or “thirds.”
Traje de luces: custom-made matador costume embroidered with silver or golden thread inspired by 18th century Andalusian clothing.
Vara/rejones de castigo: long lance / lances of punishment used by the rejoneadores.
Verdugo/Puntilla: a second type of sword used to severe the bull’s spinal cord to kill it instantly in the event of a failed estocada.
Equipment & Costume Parts
- Traje de luces – Suit of lights (traditional bullfighting costume)
- Chaquetilla – Bullfighter’s bolero jacket (short, ornamented jacket)
- Taleguilla – Bullfighting breeches/tights (embellished trousers)
- Montera – Bullfighter’s hat (traditional headdress)
Suertes, Maneuvers & Phases
- Premier / Segundo / Tercio de Varas/Banderillas/Muerte – First/Second/Third Stage of the Bullfight
- Estocada – Sword thrust (final blow)
- Volapié – Volapié (head-on final attack)
- Faena – Faena (series of final passes with the muleta)
- Verónica – Verónica (classic cape pass by the matador)
- Natural (pass) – Natural (left‑handed muleta pass executed behind the matador)
- Farol / Galleo / Molinete / Manoletina – Artistic cape passes and adornment moves
Bull Behavior & Physical Terms
- Parado – Parado (a weary or cautious bull)
- Huido – Bolting bull (a bull that avoids confrontation)
- Querencia – Bull’s preferred spot in the arena used to regain strength and become predictable
- Tardo – Slow reaction bull (hesitant before charging)
VOCABULARY: BULL EVENTS
Capeas: Organized events in which vaquillas are released in a plaza and the public can interact with them. Vaquillas are aggressive although much less dangerous than bulls. It is typically for celebrations. In English baby bull running.
Novilladas: Bullfights in which novilleros fight novillos to gain experience. These fights usually take place in small towns and villages during their celebrations.
Encierro: Consists of a running of the bulls through the streets. Runners run down fenced lined streets in front of a small heard of toros, novillos or vaquillas on their way to the plaza where they will await the afternoon´s bullfight in the stalls. Cabestros are often present to guide the herd and often suffer aggressive attacks from the bravo untamed bulls.
Corrida de toros: A public spectator bullfighting event which occurs in a bullfighting ring. Normally three bullfighters confront 3 bulls each in a corrida.
Concurso de Recortes: A show of bull leapers who make tricks with bulls. Its a bloodless bullfighting show.
Corrida de Rejones: A show of bullfighting performed by horse riders, called rejoneo.
We can help you if you want to go to a bullfight in Madrid, or need some help to understand bullfighting. Let us to show you this private world. Contact us: campotoro.es@gmail.com
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Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
FAQ
Yes, it is protected by law.
No, many of them are perdoned and they come back to the bull ranch.
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