At the most basic level, the goal of Spanish bullfighting (the kind we all watched Bugs Bunny practice) is to kill the bull and have a barbeque.  For the folks of the Camargue, this is not considered sporting.  How can the bull know what is going on and have a fair chance, they argue.  Would it not be better for the bull to live and gain experience in the ring, really making it a sporting event?

Courses Carmagaises is the name given to bullfighting with this spirit in mind.  Very, very loosely translated, the name means racing the bulls.  Which is exactly what they do.

The game is one of a single bull against a team of fleet footed 'fighters' armed only with special knuckle hooks held on one hand.  The idea is to run in front of the bull and use the hooks to remove bits of colored thread that have been strung between the horns of the bull.  The more bits a runner collects, the more prize money he is awarded.

Since a bull is much quicker than a man over short distances, the runners have developed a special technique to avoid the horns of the bull.  They fly.  The wall of the arena is three levels high: a raised step to a low wall followed by a high railing.  The wall and railing are separated by a space approximately one bull wide forming a ring or corridor around the arena.  The runners hit the step with one foot, the top of the low wall with the second and then fly to the safety of the railing, leaving the frustrated bull behind--usually.

The game continues for about ten minutes after which time the bull is tired and leaves--to come back another day and run again.  A new bull is then brought to the ring and the running continues.

We spent an afternoon enjoying this very special form of sport in another Roman amphitheater, this one in the city of Arles.  Another old arena still in use with only slight modifications to fit the needs of today.  I think the ancient Romans would be pleased.  We were.

 

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Page created on 03 Jan 2002