Review of the bullfighting season in Dax: “Seeing happy people leaving the arenas, I tell myself that the contract has been fulfilled”

The president of the Dax bullfighting commission appreciated the shows given during the fair and for Toros y salsa, but he pointed out some failures, on the part of both the ganaderos and the bullfighters.

The president of the Dax Bullfighting Commission, Éric Darrière, takes stock of the 2025 season, now over. Having organized bullfights in the sub-prefecture of the Landes region for the past six years, he notes several reasons for satisfaction, without being entirely satisfied, due to the disappointment generated by certain bull breeding operations and the lack of success of some bullfighters.

"Without this loyal audience, this base of 3,500 people who have subscribed to the feria, our group of volunteers wouldn't necessarily have the confidence to dare to do certain things," says Éric Darrière. As in the previous season, "the threshold of 80,000 people visiting the arenas for bullfighting shows" was reached in 2025.

Beyond the "over 97% attendance" recorded during the bullfights in August, the president of the Bullfighting Commission savors the "80% for Toros y salsa" in September. This confirms the "increase in attendance" noted in recent years for this second part of the Dax season.

"Aymeric Caron's greatest success," in wanting to abolish bullfighting, was surely to have given people far from the bullring the desire to go there. This was particularly evident in the upper stands during the feria, as well as during the morning shows, novilladas without picadors, novilladas and bullfights on horseback.

"We're seeing a renewed public, with people who want to discover this culture and form their own opinion," agrees Éric Darrière. He also highlights the "educational approach" that has been in place for a long time to "open the arenas to as many people as possible," including social media activities, visits to the corrales, and novilladas without picadors, with commentary from Aficion'Ado.

"Seeing happy people leaving the arenas, I tell myself that the contract has been fulfilled," confides Éric Darrière. The president of the Bullfighting Commission has, however, been able to observe that success often comes down to one thing: "Dax is an arena where you feel good. People enjoy being in the stands, they are ready to get excited, but not at any price: the bulls must convey emotions to them, express their danger."

"The collaborator bull, the one who gives the impression that you can bullfight him yourself, has no place in the arenas of Dax."

This prerequisite involves "the presentation of the bulls." But also and above all, their character: "The collaborator bull, the one who gives the impression that you can bullfight him yourself, has no place in the arenas of Dax."

Eric Darrière concedes that two of the seven ganaderias entered, Victoriano del Rio and Pedraza de Yeltes, "did not meet the public's expectations." For the Bullfighting Commission, "these are major disappointments," to be weighed against the interest generated by the rest of the breeders presented.

"We have two extraordinary bullfights, those of El Freixo and Santiago Domecq; two good ones, Juan Pedro Domecq and Victorino Martin; and a bullfight by Robert Margé that is more difficult to see," explains the organizer from Dax.

While he hopes to see these cattle back in the ring, Éric Darrière is still refusing to make any announcements: "We'll first go and see the bulls they're offering us. The breeders know the bull we're expecting in Dax. Our veedores will also look at what there might be elsewhere. This year, that's what allowed us to know before others that El Juli had a batch of bulls available."

Daniel Luque appears to be the undisputed winner of this 2025 season. As in the previous year, he is the only bullfighter to have opened the Grande Porte twice, in three bullfights held in Dax. "Compared to the criticisms that have been made about this hat trick, Luque has given the best possible response."

"Hats off to Clemente for being able to respond to Luque. After his painful afternoon at the fair, against Victorino Martin, he righted the ship. His two bullfights should be profitable for him in 2026," notes the president of the Bullfighting Commission.

Éric Darrière was also captivated by Andrés Roca Rey's performance. "For the first time in Dax, he won everyone over and showed what a huge star he is." Miguel Angel Perera was equally impressed: "Like good wine, he improves with age." Convinced that "Morenito de Aranda has everything it takes to stand out in demanding bullfights," he couldn't forget to mention the younger players: "The attitude of Borja Jimenez, the freshness of David Galvan, Juan de Castilla, and Tristan Barroso."