This is a bull from Manuel Suárez Jiménez, cattle raising From Coria del Rio. On August 15, 1848, he was presented to the public in a fight… with a lion brought from the Atlas Mountains specifically for this event. Although rare at that time, fights between bulls and wild beasts had existed since ancient times, and in my opinion, had nothing to do with bullfighting. Nevertheless, on that afternoon of August 15, the crowd filled the stands, leaving no seat empty. Caramelo entered the ring, and then it was Julio, the lion, who stamped his paws in the sand. The beast lunged at the bull, who shook him off, gored him without piercing his horn, chased him, and forced Julio to flee, desperately seeking refuge. Under public pressure, the organizers went to fetch… a tiger. Same cause, same result, and Caramelo was escorted to the bullring by the matador Angel Lopez "Regatero" amidst the roars of the crowd, who were thrilled by the fight. A financial penalty was imposed on the organizer by the public administration. On September 9th, the lineup announced, again in Madrid, a bullfight featuring three ranches. Two bulls from Aleas, one from Gomez, and three more from Manuel Suarez, including Caramelo. Facing them were the matadors Francisco Arjona Guillén, Curro Cúchares, and Manuel Arjona Guillén, brother of the first. Caramelo received ten picador lances, five from Puerto, who fell to the ground, and five from Trigo, killing three horses. Maestro Cuchares then walked to the center of the arena to kill him. But far from walking in silence, he did so amidst the howls of the crowd, imploring the presiding judge to "spare Caramelo's life." Which she did. And the first known pardoned bull from the Madrid bullring returned to the corrals, accompanied by the halters.
Surprisingly, it was Cuchares himself who tended to Caramelo's wounds. He was then sent to the fields to complete his recovery, having escaped death for the second time. The story doesn't end there.
On November 4, 1849, the program announced a bullfight featuring the Marquis of Casa Gavira, during which Caramelo would be presented in the ring, adorned with flowers, so that the public, who had enthusiastically demanded his pardon, could admire him in his prime. Bad weather prevented the performance, which was postponed to the 11th.
Finally, in 4th position, on November 1, 1849, Caramelo enters the arena where he is only supposed to be Capeado, lured to the cape by Salamantino and Cayetano Sanz before returning to the bullring.
But times change, and so do customs; he left Madrid, not for Coria and his native Andalusia, but for the cold Basque lands of Bilbao. There he would be fought on August 26, 1950, in a bullfight. area, by the rider Francisco Oliver. After seven rejones, taken bravely, and a large number of rejoncillosHe bends his knees and dies on the sand of the arena.
Thus ended Caramelo, he who had twice cheated death.