The counselor of the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue, and Administrative Simplification, Antonio Sanz, has presided over the delivery of the Provincial Bullfighting Awards of Huelva at the Cardenio Theater in Ayamonte (Huelva), alongside the Government delegate of the Junta in Huelva, José Manuel Correa, and the president of the Diputación de Huelva, David Toscano, which is granted by the Government Delegation of the Junta of Andalusia in this province.
These awards, which have reached their twenty-fourth edition, have distinguished the bullfighter David de Miranda as the season’s triumph, Barba Verde Nº 59 from the José Luís Pereda cattle farm, indulted at La Merced Bullring, as the best bull, and Diego Ventura as the best rejoneador. They were joined by recognitions for Javier Zulueta as the best novice bullfighter with picadors, David Ramírez as the best novice bullfighter without picadors, Ángel Otero as the best subaltern, José Cartes as the best picador, and the model, actress, and presenter Laura Sánchez for her promotion, dissemination, and defense of bullfighting.
Antonio Sanz congratulated the awardees, as well as the 30 municipalities in Huelva affiliated with the Bullfighting Municipalities Network of Andalusia (Remta): «Today’s awards are a well-deserved recognition of your work and are further evidence of the Andalusian Government’s support for bullfighting.» He also recalled that «from the Junta, we have always defended bullfighting without any complexes and value it as one of the most important cultural heritages in our country.»
As an example of the Andalusian Government’s support for bullfighting, he mentioned Remta, support for novice bullfighting projects, Technical Journeys of Governmental and Veterinary Teams of Bullrings in Andalusia, or the Andalusian Bullfighting Awards, which will be presented on March 26. The counselor highlighted Canal Sur’s television broadcasts: «The past season was a great success, with an accumulated audience of over four million viewers, demonstrating that bulls are of interest and attract audiences,» and he recalled that «I’m sure the Minister of Culture didn’t have these data when he said that bullfighting was ‘irrelevant’.»
During the gala, special mentions were also granted to Cástulo Moreno, president of the José Doblado Bullfighting Club in Palos de la Frontera, María Teresa Paús, a pharmacist and great bullfighting enthusiast, and the ‘Tendido 12’ bullfighting club for its 40th anniversary.
Furthermore, recognition was given to the music bands that performed at bullfighting events during the past season. The following received this distinction: the Music Band of Villaldea de Zalamea la Real, the Municipal Music Band of Arroyomolinos de León, the Municipal Music Band of Rosal de la Frontera, the Municipal Music Band of Villarrasa, the Music Band Nuestra Señora del Carmen of Villalba del Alcor, the Musical Ateneo of Cartaya, the Municipal Music Band of Higuera de la Sierra, the Music Band of Cala, the Municipal Music Band Juan Fernández Vázquez of Aroche, the Music Band Nuestra Señora Madre de Consolación of Huelva, the Music Band ‘Don Luis’ of Zufre, the Municipal Music Band of Palos de la Frontera, the Do Samouco Band, the Music Band ‘Villa de Nerva’, the Municipal Music Band of Aracena, and the Municipal Music Band of Valverde del Camino, as well as the composer Félix de Carboneras.
The jury members evaluated the 23 bullfighting events from last year, including six bullfights, four mixed bullfights, four rejoneo events, five novice bullfights with picadors, three novice bullfights without picadors, and one novillada.
Also present at the awards ceremony were David Gil, Secretary General of the Interior, and José María Mayo, First Deputy Mayor of Ayamonte, as well as territorial delegates, provincial deputies, mayors, councilors, authorities, and bullfighting enthusiasts.