RAGING BULL

Retired Matador Gored to Death Ahead of Bullfight

Ricardo Ortiz was handling the animals before they were released into the arena.

A former matador was gored to death at a Pablo Picasso-themed bullfight in southern Spain. Ricardo Ortiz was handling the animals before a sold-out event at Plaza de Toros La Malagueta, a bullfighting stadium in Malaga, when “the tragic incident occurred,” the event organizers said in a statement. “One of the bulls gave him a severe goring that caused his death.” The organizers expressed “deep sorrow” and extended condolences to Ortiz’s family. The April 3 event, the Corrida Picassiana, went ahead regardless. Ortiz was honored with a tribute and a period of silence. He retired from performing more than 20 years ago, and had been involved with the Corrida Picassiana ever since. The event honors Malaga’s most famous son, the artist Picasso, and everything, right down to the matadors’ costumes, nods to his work. Picasso was fascinated by bullfighting, which was a recurrent theme in his work. Spain hosts about 1,500 bullfights per year, though its popularity is declining, mainly due to concerns about animal cruelty.