Bulls of Spain - Mike Goldwater

Domecq, 67, at his Los Alburejos ranch near Jerez de la Frontera, Spain where he breeds fighting bulls. Behind him are heads of his animals killed in the bull ring.

A young rider exercises his horse at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Arts in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain which was founded by Alvaro Domecq in 1973.

A young rider training his horse at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Arts in Jerez de la Frontera.

A rider practising the specialised dressage of the Rejoneador, the bullfighter on horseback, at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Arts.

Alvaro Domecq, 67, (foreground) and his nephew Antonio Domecq, 37, both rejoneadores or bullfighters on horseback, watch as another rejoneador tests a two year old cow for aggression.

César Varguas Girón, 24, a professional bullfighter, tests a two year old cow. The most agressive cows will be used to breed future fighting bulls.

Antonio Domecq, 37, a professional rejoneador, dressed in traditional clothes in the saddle room at his uncle Alvaro Domecq's bull breeding farm.

Alvaro Domecq, 67, in the riding school at his farm where his horses are trained.

Antonio Domecq, 37, a professional rejoneador, rides through the stables at his uncle Alvaro Domecq's ranch.

A guide at the Seville bulling ring explains to tourists the stories behind the exhibits in the bullring's extensive museum.

Don Tomas Prieto de la Cal, 41, breeds some of the most ferocious bulls in Spain at his ranch near Huelva. He holds a traditional garrocha, a 2.5 meters long wooden spear used to control the animals.

Marchioness Mercedes de Seoane in one of the reception rooms of her mansion. Her family, Prieto de la Cal, breed some of the most ferocious bulls in Spain.

Don Tomas Prieto de la Cal, 41, sets off to work with his herd of fighting bulls, cows and calfs.

The bullring at Ronda is Spain's oldest ring, built in the 1790's.

Antonio Domecq, a rejoneador, rides his horse in a tight circle around a young cow to test it for aggression and train his horse for the specialised dressage it will need in the bullring.

Alvaro Domecq, 67, (centre) an accomplished rejoneador in his youth, holds a traditional garrocha, a 2.5 meters long wooden spear as he and a colleague chase a two year old cow at a 'Acorso y Derribo' event on one of his farms.

Alvaro Domecq, 67, (centre) holds a lunch for those who just took part in an 'Acorso y Derribo' event on one of his farms.

Grey “Cardeno" bulls, famous for their strength and aggression, lock horns on the Partido de Resina ranch, near Seville.

Four year old bulls are driven to new pasture by horsemen at Juan Pedro Domecq's 7,000 acre ranch near Seville.

Juan Pedro Domecq 65, relaxing at home. A member of the famous Domecq family, he chaired Spain’s Union of fighting bulls breeders for ten years.

‘Alvaro Domecq, 68, is one of Spain’s most famous bull breeders, made a fortune in sherry wine. Dressed in the traditional Andalusian costume, Alvaro chairs this tienta for two-years-old cows, to select the mothers of his future fighting bulls. The most combative cows will stay on the ranch to breed, while the others will be sent to the slaughterhouse.
The dozen men seated around the ring are Alvaro’s relatives or friends. Silence is only disturbed by the guttural shouts of the young bullfighter, waving his red muleta under the cow’s nose. His purpose is not to kill the cow, but to test its behavior. “It’s an honor to be invited by Don Alvaro, in this famous ganaderia,” says César Varguas Girón, 24, his hair stuck by sweat on his forehead. “In winter, tientas are the best training for us, before the start of the fighting season.”
The name of the ranch that bred the hero of the day is always mentioned on the poster announcing the day’s fight. Andalusian aficionados spend their nights in Seville’s bodegas, drinking sherry wine, eating tapas and comparing virtues of Torrestrella’s, Fuente Ymbro’s or Cebada Gago’s “brave” bulls…’ An extract from the story by Helene Constanty that was published with these pictures.