Spain’s Death-Defying Bull Leapers By Spooky on November 16th, 2009 Category: Events, Pics LIKE DISLIKE * 60Share * 0diggsdigg * * * * * Email * Sharebar * Share60 * 0diggsdigg * * * * 0 * Email In the name of entertainment and adrenalin, Spain’s bull leapers, known as “recortadores”, continue an ancient tradition that can be traced back to 1500 BC, during King Minos’ reign. Teams of 5 to 7 bull leapers gather each year in cities like Valencia or Barcelona, to take part in a performance that many compare to the Russian roulette. Each team may face up to three bulls in the ring, at once, taunting and jumping over them just when the beats prepare to impale them. The bull leapers all look calm and brave, but they don’t hesitate to run for their lives after a successful jump or evasion, to stay well clear of the angry bulls. The atmosphere in the bullfighting arena is said to be exhilarating, with the crown cheering every successful trick. Sure some may call these death-defying artists insane, but I have a lot more respect for them than I do for bullfighters. At least bull leaping doesn’t get the bull killed in a violent way. sadly it can’t quench the Spanish thirst for bull-fighting blood. ======================== http://damncoolpics.blogspot.com/2009/11/spains-amazing-bull-leapers.html Damn Cool Pics blogspot (lots of pictures) ======================== http://www.dogonews.com/2009/12/2/the-amazing-recortadores-bull-leapers-of-spain Dogonews - fodder for young minds While the bull fighters of Spain are legendary, its bull leapers are not as well known. These are the brave souls that practice the sport of bull leaping, which true to its name, involves jumping over a running bull! Though the sport dates all the way back to the Bronze Age (3000 - 1200 B.C), it has recently enjoyed a resurgence amongst young thrill-seeking Spaniards, who come together at the Plaza de Tores stadium in Valencia every year, to battle it out for the championship. Each team comprises of five to seven bull leapers or 'recortadores', who sneak their way into a bullring that may have as many as three bulls, at a time. Once inside, they each take turns calling the bulls towards them. As the bovine comes charging at full speed, the recortadores, dodge or leap over them with amazing speed and agility. The events, which can sometimes last four to five hours, are very popular with spectators, young and old. They are not only exciting, but also, have none of the cruelty issues associated with bull fights, which involve matadors that use swords to defend themselves. The one danger is that the leapers themselves could get hurt if, gored by a bull. However, so far, there have been no injuries. The young Spaniards really know what they are doing, and we sure hope it stays that way forever and ever! (Has an 8-minute video) ================== http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1227768/Spains-amazing-bull-leapers-They-fly-air-greatest-ease--avoid-pair-sharp-horns.html Daily Mail On-Line Flying through the air these amazing bull leapers compete in the ultimate game of chance. Displaying flips, leaps and jumps these modern day Spanish 'Recortadores' continue a bull leaping tradition that goes back to the legendary King Minos from Crete's Minoan civilisation around 1500 BC. Each year, bull fighting teams from all over Spain descend upon the Plaza de Toros stadium in Valencia to battle in this daring competition. Chilean photographer Mery Alin Nuñez captured this magnificent extravaganza during a trip to Valencia. 'It was an unbelievable display,' revealed the 25-year-old. 'As a spectator I was nervous not knowing what was going to happen and fearing the performers would be caught by a horn. 'The Rectadores call the bull, face them and then at just the right moment, jump over the animal as it charges towards them. 'The jumpers carry out all kind of different tricks and look really braves and courageous. 'Then suddenly, the tables are turned and the jumpers have to run for their lives to evade the angry bulls. 'There is a tense and expectant atmosphere in the air which makes this so exciting.' Photographer Mery Nunez travelled to the Plaza de Toros bull fighting stadium in Madrid, Spain and witnessed these amazing acrobats displaying flips, leaps and jumps Like the bull jumpers themselves, photographer Mery had to rely on reflexes and instinct to get these incredible images. 'To take pictures like this, especially action shots, you have to visualise the scene in your mind,' she said Established in ancient bronze age Crete during the Minoan era, bull leaping is practised throughout Europe from France to Portugal. With as many as three bulls in the ring at any one time, each 'Recortadores' team - made up of between 5 and 7 members - go head-to-head in a dangerous and skilful performance which can last up to four hours. Like the bull jumpers themselves, photographer Mery had to rely on reflexes and instinct to get these incredible images. 'To take pictures like this, especially action shots, you have to visualise the scene in your mind,' she said. 'There is a moment when your instinct tells you it's the right second to press the button. 'I watched the whole competition with the camera up to my eye, following the action all the time. 'What I like about these images is that they show the skill and strength of man and beast in one moment.' ========================== http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Bull-leaping Word IQ web site Bull-leaping was a key ritual in the religion of the Minoan civilization on Bronze Age Crete. As in the case of other Mediterranean civilizations, the bull was the subject of veneration and worship (see Bull (mythology) for more). The Minoans regarded the bull as a manifestation of the god Poteidan, the most powerful god in the Minoan pantheon. They were renowned for their reverance of the bull, as the legend of the Minotaur illustrates, and practised a dangerous and acrobatic ritual of vaulting over the horns of bulls. This practice is widely depicted in frescos and ceramics found at and around the palace of Knossos, the legendary home of King Minos, for whom archaeologists named the entire civilization. Minoan artworks depict the ritual as involving a team of bull-dancers, bull-grapplers and bull-leapers. The first group would distract the bull and entertain the crowd by performing athletic feats on the paved court where the event was held. Bull-grapplers would make the bull lower its horns to prepare it for the bull-leapers, who would either dive between the horns and land on the bull's back hands first, or would grasp the horns and use them as levers to catapult themselves into a standing position on the bull's back. They would then jump or flip lengthways over the body of the bull to land feet-first on the ground. The most famous depiction of this activity comes from the Great Palace at Knossos, in the form of a fresco of the 17th-15th centuries BC (shown above right). The red figure is probably male and the white figures female - assuming that the usual Minoan colour convention was followed in this instance. The fresco survived in only fragmentary condition, so much of what is shown is a reconstruction. Although many details of bull-leaping are still unclear, it seems likely that it was a rite of passage undergone by young Minoans of both sexes to achieve higher status. The performers are often depicted as naked or nearly naked but with elaborate decoration and hairstyles indicative of noble status. The ritual is believed to have been a way of symbolising the interwoven destinies of humans and the bull-god. There has been considerable debate over the practicalities of bull-leaping. Its depictions are probably idealized, and it has been pointed out that bulls tend to sweep their horns from side to side in order to impale anything within reach. Having said that, the ancient long-horned Cretan bull almost certainly had significant differences from modern bulls and may be been bred specifically for tractability in the bull-leaping ritual. It may also have been drugged to slow its reactions.