In the small town of Medinaceli in northern Spain, a controversial and centuries-old festival known as the “Toro Jubilo” takes place annually on the second weekend in November. This festival involves attaching burning balls of tar to a bull’s horns and releasing it into a makeshift bullring in the town square, where participants attempt to dodge the bull in a purported test of courage.
Animal rights campaigners have long condemned the Toro Jubilo festival as a form of animal abuse. Spanish anti-animal cruelty party PACMA has called for a ban on the event, stating that the tradition is grotesque and has no place in modern society. Despite these protests, the festival continues to be celebrated, drawing hundreds of spectators each year.
During the festival, a group of men dressed in matching grey uniforms drag the bull into the bullring and tie it to a wooden post. They then attach balls of highly flammable tar to its horns, cover its back and face with mud to protect it from the flames, and set the tar balls alight. The bull is then released into the square, where it frantically shakes its head in an attempt to rid itself of the burning balls of tar.
Participants in the festival cheer and applaud as the bull races around the square, with several men jumping into the ring to dodge the bull and dangle capes in front of it. This spectacle continues for about 20 minutes until the flammable balls on the bull’s horns go out, and the bull collapses. Despite the intense and dangerous nature of the festival, the bull’s life is traditionally spared at the end of the event.
However, in a tragic turn of events this year, the bull died after being rammed in the head by another young castrated bull that was sent into the bullring to guide it out. Animal rights groups such as Anima Naturalis have highlighted the cruelty of the festival, stating that the bull is kept in a tight pen for hours before being dragged into the square, causing immense stress and suffering.
Despite calls for a ban on the Toro Jubilo festival, the regional government of Castilla and Leon has given it special cultural status, and the Medinaceli town hall has not responded to requests for comment on the matter. The festival remains a significant event for the town of Medinaceli, attracting both locals and tourists alike.
In conclusion, the Toro Jubilo festival in Medinaceli continues to spark controversy and debate over the ethics of using animals in such events. While some view it as a cultural tradition worth preserving, others see it as a cruel and outdated practice that should be abolished. The clash between tradition and animal rights advocacy underscores the ongoing struggle to find a balance between cultural heritage and ethical treatment of animals.
