Peruvian bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey was seriously wounded with a 35-centimeter goring to his right thigh during the April 23 bullfight at Seville's Plaza de la Maestranza. The injury happened as he went in to kill the fifth bull, a five-year-old from Victoriano del Río and Toros de Cortés named Soleares, for which he was awarded two ears. After surgery in the arena's infirmary, he was transferred to a hospital.
Andrés Roca Rey dedicated the fifth bull, named Soleares and weighing 526 kg, to El Juli, who suffered a serious goring in Seville in 2013 from the same ranch. The animal, manso in the horse and of rough caste, was received with a quite by delantales. Roca Rey started the faena kneeling with backhand changes, followed by fast right-hand series and left-hand ones with hooks, ending in circulares before the fatal volapié.
As he charged to kill, the bull hooked him with its left horn in the inner face of the upper third of his right thigh, causing a 20 cm descending trajectory and 15 cm ascending one, with extensive muscle tears but no vascular damage, according to the report by Dr. Octavio Mulet Zayas. The crowd, standing, requested and was granted two ears for the bullfighter's commitment.
The event, with bulls from Victoriano del Río and Toros de Cortés (three five-year-olds), was uneven: early ones lacked caste and were dull. José María Manzanares earned silences with his two bulls. Javier Zulueta received a lap of honor for the sixth due to his effort, despite a low thrust. The plaza was sold out for the 12th or 13th subscription event of the April Fair.
