Peach and Apricot Fair in Saint-Gilles with a bullfight by Rocio de la Camara for the despedida of Thomas Joubert (salute and two ears), Andrés Roca Rey (silence and light applause) and Adriano (salute and silence).
Adriano, Thomas Joubert and Andrés Roca Rey salute at the end of the paseo (Photo Anthony Maurin)
It was a bullfight that was expected, much anticipated. One of those that makes you say you have to go. One of those that offers more reasons to buy a ticket in the late August sun.
The Émile Bilhau arenas, headed by the business duo Julien Miletto and Pierre-Henry Callet, have been in the habit of creating a sensation for ten years.
But this year… The arrival of Andrés Roca Rey was announced. The mundillo in excitement and the assurance of a great moment. Added to this was the decision of the maestro Thomas Joubert to cut his coleta at the end of this race.
A moment filled with diverse and varied emotions that the tendidos wanted to experience. This is also why, after the very lyrical paseo, the stands asked the bullfighters to salute in the ring.
The second of Rocio de la Camara (Photo Anthony Maurin)
And as the saying goes… Corrida de expectación corrida de decepción. If the bullfighters didn’t do crazy things, the bulls took away all the fun. Nice try, too bad.
First on the track, then, Thomas Joubert. It is sweet to see the kid in red and gold costume arrive again in the arenas of Arles to the music of Chicuelo II. Here is the man, still as moving, still in red and gold, setting off to the tune that is dear to him, that of the Concerto d’Aranjuez that Chicuelo II plays wonderfully.
Thomas Joubert still as comfortable with his left hand (Photo Anthony Maurin)
Maestro Thomas Joubert carries something in him and not seeing him in the ring again will be a loss. He will salute at the end of this first duel that he begins against a classless bull, fat, manso and sending the head from time to time. The pedestrian cannot do much, he takes the sword but loses the small profit engaged.
Intense moment… Alain Montcouquiol cuts the coleta of a bullfighter like no other and whose bullfighting will be missed in the ringos (Photo Anthony Maurin)
On his second, the maestro Thomas Joubert will cut two ears that he will join to make only one. The tendidos ask for two, the palco gives them but the reasonable bullfighter, even for his despedida, does not want to cheat. As always. His bull of Rocio de la Camara will be replaced by a sobrero of a brother iron. A bicho with improbable horns but who serves a little more the bullfighter who toasts him to his daughter and his wife. It is now that everything is at stake. Thomas enters his bubble and bullfights as the aficion likes to see him bullfight. The verticality, the emotion, the purity. Two ears certainly “large” but this bullfighter will be cruelly missed… Enhorabuena Thomas and thank you for everything! Two celebrated vueltas for a regretted departure. It is Alain Montcouquiol, quite logically, who takes the scissors and cuts the coleta of the maestro.
Andrés Roca Rey and his first bull fought in Saint-Gilles (Photo Anthony Maurin)
We wondered if Andrés Roca Rey would be present at the paseo of the Peach and Apricot fair. After all, it is human to denigrate the “small” arenas when we open the doors of all the big ones. But the Peruvian is not very human and he was there to parade in front of a sometimes stunned audience. However, he will listen to the silence after a fight without any relief, the fault of the bull, too weak to ensure a normal lidia.
Andrés Roca Rey can’t do anything with his second bull (Photo Anthony Maurin)
Fifth in the afternoon and second for Andrés Roca Rey who welcomes him with a little more enthusiasm. Except that… We quickly move on to the sobrero of the Gallon brothers with whom Roca Rey will give himself up a little more. Alas, and if the start of the faena suggests great possibilities between horned and pedestrian, the bull falls a notch and Roca can no longer go for the ear. It is as if the Gard does not succeed very well with the Peruvian.
Adriano is working hard and will salute at the end of this first fight (Photo Anthony Maurin)
Today, there was Thomas Joubert who had taken his alternative in Arles. Andrés Roca Rey who had taken it in Nîmes and Adriano, born under the name of Adrien Salenc, is from Nîmes but took his doctorate in Istres! Three arenas honored with this cartel. Adriano triumphed here two years ago and after a 2023 season with fewer contracts, Saint-Gilles trusts him to relaunch and renew his past performances. He will salute after having been the most relevant muleta in hand but facing a bull even less interesting than his predecessors.
Adriano will try again and again but the atmosphere was not one of triumph (Photo Anthony Maurin)
Last chance for the youngster. Night falls, the party was not what was expected but it is also to savor the good times that we must live less pleasant ones… Adriano continues his effort in front of another bull of the iron brother of Rocio de la Camara (Cortijo de la Sierra) that he dedicated with elegance to Thomas Joubert. One could have believed that the tendidos were going to grant him an earpiece but everyone was already focused on the exit of the Arlesian. Silence.
