San Jacinto Street hosted a salon bullfighting exhibition organised by the Triana-Salesianos bullfighting school, led by master Tomás Campuzano, as a new feature of the Velá de Triana programme.
This year, the Velá de Triana has incorporated a new element that connects with the bullfighting tradition of the neighbourhood. The Triana-Salesianos bullfighting school, directed by master Tomás Campuzano, took its students to San Jacinto Street on Thursday to offer a salon bullfighting exhibition. During the day, the young bullfighters showcased their skills with capote and muleta in front of passers-by strolling along the pedestrian street.
Tomás Campuzano explained that the initiative aims to bring bullfighting closer to the public. “Bullfighting must be taught, not defended. Bullfighting is defended by showing it,” the master stated during the event. The exhibition is part of the Velá de Triana programme, which annually brings together locals and visitors in the Sevillian neighbourhood.
The Triana-Salesianos bullfighting school started about a year and a half ago when Campuzano decided to turn the Salesians centre into his training ground. Since then, the school has been growing and currently has 38 students, all male. Campuzano acknowledged that he misses the presence of girls, although he emphasised that “there is also interest among them and bullfighting should not differentiate by gender.”
The students who participated in the exhibition mostly come from Triana, but also from other Andalusian towns such as Ronda, Málaga, Córdoba, and Cádiz. Additionally, the school has students from France and Mexico. “We have young people who have already fought. We started late with the school, but we are taking firm and secure steps,” Campuzano assessed.
The Triana-Salesianos bullfighting school has established itself as a reference in training new talents in bullfighting in Seville. Campuzano, who is a well-known figure in the bullfighting world, highlighted the importance of keeping the tradition alive in a neighbourhood with such deep bullfighting roots. “Triana needed a bullfighting school with the name of Triana, which has such roots in bullfighting, which has produced so many bullfighting figures and continues to do so. When I created my school, I thought of Triana,” he affirmed.
The salon bullfighting exhibition on San Jacinto Street has been one of the most talked-about activities of the Velá de Triana, which continues these days with a broad programme of cultural, musical, and festive events. Attendees were able to closely observe the skills of the young bullfighters, who executed passes with capote and muleta in an urban environment accessible to all audiences.
For the residents of Triana, this initiative represents a nod to the history of the neighbourhood, the birthplace of great bullfighting figures. The Triana-Salesianos school thus adds to the leisure offerings of the Velá, which annually attracts thousands of people to the streets of the Sevillian neighbourhood. The salon bullfighting day concluded successfully with the public, and the school is already considering repeating the experience in future editions.
The Velá de Triana, celebrated in honour of the Virgen de la Esperanza, is one of the most emblematic festivals in Seville. This year, the inclusion of salon bullfighting has been well received by attendees, who have been able to enjoy a tradition that is part of the neighbourhood's DNA. The Triana-Salesianos bullfighting school, through its daily work, contributes to ensuring that this tradition is not lost and that new generations become interested in the art of bullfighting.
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