The Linares bullfighting fair is expanding for the upcoming season by adding an extra major event, bringing the total number of bullfights to three. The lineups, officially confirmed by the Linares City Council and organized by Reyma Taurino, managers of the Santa Margarita bullring, include new names and significant attractions.
The opening bullfight on August 28 will feature a trio composed entirely of bullfighters from Linares: the veteran David Gil, returning to his hometown after nearly three decades away; Adrián de Torres; and Marcos Linares, who will debut before his local crowd as a matador. They will face bulls from Martín Lorca.
On Saturday, August 29, Emilio de Justo, David de Miranda in his first appearance at this fair, and the debutant in Linares, Víctor Hernández, will take to the ring. They will face bulls from Román Sorando, sourced from the ranches of Jaén.
The bullfighting cycle will conclude on Sunday, August 30, with the Linares matador Curro Díaz, a regular figure at the local fair, sharing the bill with David de Miranda, who will perform for a second time, and the debutant Marco Pérez. They will fight bulls from Villamarta.
The double appearance of David de Miranda, a bullfighter from Huelva, is one of the major highlights. His performance in Linares last season, where he earned four ears and a tail, earned him the prestigious Trofeo Manolete.
The presence of four bullfighters born in Linares underscores the deep roots of bullfighting in the city. Alongside Curro Díaz, the return of David Gil, who built a career in Peru, and the comeback of Adrián de Torres after a three-year absence, during which he left the ring shoulder-high in a mano a mano, are notable. Marcos Linares will have the opportunity to prove himself to his local audience.
The Real Feria de San Agustín will also host the XXIX Pregón Taurino (Bullfighting Proclamation), organized by the Peña Taurina “Enrique Ponce”. This year, bullfighting critic Juan Moya “Costillares”, the dean of bullfighting press in Jaén, will deliver the speech on Tuesday, August 25, at the bullfighting club's headquarters, with participation from the Agrupación Musical de Linares 1875. His daughter, bullfighting photographer Carmen Moya, will introduce him.
