NÎMES EN FERIA Talavante steals the show from Ponce

How could we imagine a return of Enrique Ponce without the honorary greeting that goes on the track? The maestro of Chiva complied with an emotion undoubtedly mixed with a little vanity to the applause session of his audience for a most vibrant salute on the track. He also invited his compañeros to salute with him on the track.

First is the last. David Galvan returns to Nîmes after a spectacular novillada in 2011 in front of novillos… By Enrique Ponce!

At almost 30 years old, the native of San Fernando (Cádiz) enters the framework of the Nîmes confirmation as intended by the company Simon Casas. Remember that a bullfighter who presents himself in Nîmes confirms his alternative at the same time. For this first confirmed duel in Nîmes, Galvan shows his personality, his simple, efficient, suave, flexible, round toreo at times. He attacks his faena with a few genuflections dear to Enrique Ponce… It was then that rumors came down from the stands… “Can he do that? ” Of course ! A live tribute, knowing that Galvan had just brandished his toro to Ponce himself. A nice series of manoletinas tight enough to finish before two failures with the sword and a salute on the track. Hi.

On his second, the last of the bullfight of the day, David Galván undoubtedly sees the images of Enrique Ponce who had been his alternative witness, in 2012, in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz). Last year he participated in 15 bullfights and cut 36 ears and three rabos. Galvan finished the race showing almost novillerile desire. The public appreciated this young man full of class and tenacity. Elegance and poder are also adjectives that suit him well! Galvan also knew how to show what a real exposure was in the horns (unlike the tests of the day at Talavannte) by sticking the wood on the taleguilla and using the desplante which responds to the affirmation, yes I dominated this toro. An ear and a man to see again.

Enrique Ponce returns. What a moment… The aficion has always appreciated it, she does not seem to have forgotten it during her short retirement. His farewell tour promises mountains and wonders but it is indeed here, in Nîmes, that it begins in front of the toros of Juan Pedro Domecq that he has fought so often. Seeing him come back and leave again is heartbreaking for the tenndidos but history is being written. Ponce comes across a new toro from Juan Pedro without much transmission for the stands. We didn’t see the Ponce we knew, the emergency surgeon who relieves the bulls. No, we saw a Ponce with precious gestures, that is not lost, but we would have liked to see more. Silence.

It was also during this race that Chiva maestro Enrique Ponce found a cartel compañero in the person of Alejandro Talavante. It has been more than ten years since they were reunited on the same poster while Ponce was the godfather of Talavante’s alternative. For his final fight in Nîmes, he found him. But that’s not the story… Ponce also finds a last copy of Juan Pedro to cut off his ear. An ear without real weight but the ear of great thanks for the aficion to the maestro that she has been able to follow since he was a novillero.

Last, therefore, the native of Badajoz and protégé of the company Simon Casas, Alejandro Talavante. Here, in Nîmes, where he has his habits, he had never before passed under the Porte des Consuls, synonymous with triumph. And, against all odds, it’s been going on for 17 years! This time again he left via the cuadrillas but that almost changed. With a toro a little less soso than the previous ones Talavante appears more determined, especially on the hood. He tries to lift the arenas by starting his faena as he has been doing more and more regularly for several months by planting his knees on the ground. The rest has no real background, the faena without relief and the toro is lightly whistled at the arrastre. Silence.

Fifth bull of the race for Talavante’s second opposition. Remember that in 2023, on two occasions, Talavante was big, even grandiose, but did not cut as much as expected. Last year again and so that you understand the phenomenon that it is, he cut off 70 ears but only cut four tails for 53 bullfights. Rebelote for Talavante who cuts two ears against a Juan Pedro transmitting a tad more. Talavante makes the effort, puts the bicho behind his back, makes people feel the danger, in short, he captivates the shelves which were just asking to be awakened. He knows Nîmes well and plays with that. We knew that the aficion of the day was going to petition for ears but we imagined that they would be for Pontius! A slightly redundant faena and below what we have seen from him lately. Perhaps one ear too many in the Spaniard’s pocket but still a great triumphant exit for him.