¬°Olé! for the Brave Club Taurino!
As is well known, there are no bullfights in New York, not even at Shea Stadium. There is, nevertheless, a Club Taurino. Its members include a River dale dentist, a Philadelphia salesman, a television commentator and a Powers model. Most of the time the club meets once a month to watch bullfight films, hear bullfight music and think hard thoughts about the A.S.P.C.A.
But recently 15 enthusiasts decided they had had enough of vicarious valor. They asked Vincent J-R Kehoe, a certified aficionado, to lead them on a bullfight tour of Spain. He did, and Artist Marc Simont went along to record their adventures. These began at a small ranch near Madrid, where they tried cape and muleta passes with heifers (below). Thanks to member Ann Nieto, the Club Taurino will always be able to boast that it has shed blood in taurine combat. Ann got a 2-mm. cornada in one thigh. The trip culminated at the Feria of Màlaga (following pages), where the Taurinos saw 75 bulls killed and where they found it is hard to shoot home movies while shouting "Olé!" through a sherry hangover.
At Kennedy Airport the club prepares for the takeoff. The girl in center became a dropout in Spain. She decided to stay where the bulls were. The little old lady at right doesn't belong. She got mixed up in the group while she was en route to a Montserrat monastery to hear Gregorian music.
A pro demonstrates and then a clubber tries (oops!).
Having fought and bled, club members settle down at Màlaga to see how the pros do it. Here a matador lures the bull from a fallen horse with a chicuelina.
Again in danger (but only of exhaustion), several durable clubbers take an early-morning carriage ride through Malàga's wild, gypsy-flavored festival.
Besides bulls and festivals, tour members saw a lot of Spanish life. Here they crowd a cave in Granada to watch a gypsy dance.
Córdoba was the last stop, and a good thing, too. This weary aficionado has disappeared into a choir stall in the famed cathedral.
EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS