ST. PAUL MEMORIAL BLOODLESS BULLFIGHT - LOS ACRES

As *Joao and *Jair entered the St. Paul Memorial Arena, life seemed as if it had stopped. Silence filled the air as these two magnificent specimens of human and horse life exhibited as if one...From Centaurs to Renaissance, the two dark haired beauties pranced to the center, stopped, then saluted to the heavens above. As *Joao took off his triangular shaped feather hat, held straight to the sky, he told me later there was a circle of a cloud with the sun brightly showing down on the two of them. His dedication was to our Paul. All the horses on the ranch stood still in their stalls as if listening to the skies above. As a tradition for all bullfights when beginning the day, the bullfight is always dedicated to someone in honor. I will never forget the time at a Bullfight in the region of Algarve, near the ocean town of Lagos, the south of Portugal, when *Joao surprised me and rode over from the center of the arena to where I was sitting in the stands, dedicating the bullfight in my honor......what a feeling of pride! But on this precious day, we were honoring my father. Without him, our ranch of Los Acres would not be here. There would have never been much for many humans and horses in our family. He was as if "George Bailey" of the timeless movie "What a Wonderful Life". We are honoring his life. A life that was full of love for animals, but especially his favorite animal: the Arabian Horse. On this day, six days after our Happy Horse Day which we had just celebrated our 24th year, was a day that would never be forgotten. To begin the day as the onlookers were arriving, the music from the Gladiator movie played softly in the background of the excited people. The stallions who would be going to the arena stood patiently in the adjoining tie stalls, connected to the castle top shaped round bull arena. Each stallion stood with their colorful ribbons braided into their mane, taking over two hours per horse to dress each one. *Joao says "this is part of our union for the day, I must do this with each horse since we will become partners in a battle, and they must trust and love every move we make together". As time grew closer to the beginning, both *Joao and Eduardo Costa of Los Banos, were warming up their stallions for the opening event. As the large 16 foot medievel doors opened, *Joao and *Jair Tamaal (Tamaal x Sidcerely Yours, by *Sidi-Brahim), Eduardo on his stallion, the Forcados (bull grabbers), the Shepherds, and the Matadors Dennis Borba and Pepe Canales all made a beautiful entrance together. As the music played and both stallions made their high school movements across the arena from each other, our excitement was about to begin!

First was *Joao and *Jair. The two entered the arena in silence, as he proudly looked up and dedicated the day. As *Jair patiently waited on the opposite side of the arena, our large metal "Gladiator" type door slowly and loudly, raised straight up. The sounds of the hooves were like drums being performed, as the wild bull came madly out, snorting and tossing his head, then proceeded over to *Joao and *Jair! The two of them were magical. Using the California style banderilhas, he and the bull were a team. California is like no other country in the world, where there is no blood allowed here. Thank goodness! The velcro tips on the banderilha was placed beautifully into the thick velcro padding on the bulls back. Imitating the bullfights of Portugal, though the bull is not killed in Portugal. As the day went on, the Paso Doble music continued with the old time tradition entertaining the crowd. Matador Dennis Borba is amazing using his cape with the bull, as if he was playing an instrument, his talent was beautiful. Pepe Canales is an incredible man too with the bull, so much passion! Eduardo and his imported Lusitano's were unforgettable, along with his Arabian stallion "Sport", a Fadjur great grandson!

Next in the arena was our wonderful friends Zita and Steven Strother's love, Once N Alifetime. Now, since I brought up these two names of these precious people, this is the reason I chose to have the Bloodless Bullfight the weekend after our Annual Happy Horse Day! They are not only our very close friends, but they also take amazing pictures. They told me they could not be here in California for very long, since they recently moved to Georgia (and loving their new life in this beautiful State!) Knowing they could probably only photo one event, we decided to squeeze in the two events close to each other, so their magical eyes can bring to life our two special weekends. Which they did....

Once N Alifetime and *Joao were also amazing together. His quick movements of faking the bull and pirouettes are priceless! "Oncer" is sired by Bravado Bey V, and out of Lenita Brahim, who is a *Sidi-Brahim daughter and is Julio Brahim's full sister. Oncer resembles our Julio, but wearing bay clothes!

Another crowd pleaser at a Portuguese bullfight are the Forcados. Several brave men line up facing the bull, after the Horse and Horseman have finished, calling the bull to charge. As the bull nears them, the forcados stop the bull (at least most of the time!) by embracing them around the horns. This tradition of "bull grabbing" began first in the fields of Lusitania in the beginning of time, then on to the 17th century in Lisboa (Lisbon) in the ancient area of the city called "Terreiro Do Paco" when Queen Maria demanded no killing of the bulls. When the Royalty had finished the show for the Queen in the public square, the bull was to be escorted out of the area since he was not to be killed. The brave young men of Lusitania lined up to stop the bull. There was no arena, so they would first encircle the bull and the horseman as if to make a wall, using their two ended sticks, called the "Forcado" to keep the bull inside. These brave Lusitanos were first called "House of Guardians". I will never forget during a trip to Portugal, visiting this magical area of Lisbon. You could feel inside your heart the emotions of those early days of Lisbon, imagining the beauty of Queen Maria with her command of saving the wild bull from death, which this tradition still continues on to this day. Looking to the sight of the statue in the Terreiro Do Paco of King Joseph, Queen Maria's father, on his battle partner, a magnificent stallion so proud and noble. The only comparison of feelings standing in this area of Lisbon, was when I visited the Vatican in Rome. You cannot explain your emotions and why you all of a sudden feel like crying with happiness. To feel this, you must stand on the land of these truly magnificent treasures.

As the afternoon ended in the St. Paul Memorial Arena, so many people walked over towards the adjoining tie stalls, admiring the stallions and talking of beautiful conversations about horses, bulls, and my father. Then the stallions were taken back to their straw lined stalls, and everyone walked over to the secret garden area, near the creek waterfall. While the words of happiness were mingling through the air, the music turned from the bullfighting Paso Doble, to the song I use to put with videos of my father farming, showing Fadjur, loving his Jackie and his family. Kassidy and I put the music of "God Bless the USA", in his memory. As we looked up to heaven, we both smiled and knew he was watching........


Terry Polk