A matador has been seriously injured after being brutally gored and thrown into the air by an angry bull during a fight.
Raul Ruiz had stepped in to place the third pair of Banderillas when the charging beast suddenly turned and attacked him.
Attacking with full force, the ferocious bull drove its horn 25 cm deep into his right thigh.
The force of the attack lifted him from his feet before throwing him onto the sand, where he lay injured and Cuadrilla members rushed to his aid.
The horror unfolded in Madrid, Spain, during the first Novillada of the Feria de la Comunidad de Madrid on Friday, as crowds filled the capital’s La Ventas grounds.
Ruiz was hit during the Banderillas phase – one of the most dangerous moments of the fight – leaving him exposed at dangerous close range.
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Medical teams rushed to the ring within seconds and transferred him to the on-site hospital.
Doctors confirmed a severe entry and exit wound in the right thigh, with significant muscle damage and impact on the femoral artery.
He needed immediate treatment after massive blood loss.
Las Ventas is a huge red-brick arena in Madrid where up to 23,000 spectators come to watch high-level bullfighting.
The Banderillas phase involves thrusting barbed sticks into the bulls’ shoulders at close range, leaving those on foot extremely vulnerable to sudden, violent attacks.
The same incident also saw further drama involving young bullfighters.
Álvaro Serrano and Joel Ramírez, both making their debut in the Madrid bullring, were caught while attempting to kill their bulls during the Estocada stage.
Both were knocked down or bent over, although no serious injuries were initially reported.
Daniel López was also hit during his attempt to kill the bull, but escaped without serious injury.
The Madrid incident comes amid a series of recent injuries to Spain’s bullfighting calendar.
In the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza in Seville, two separate serious incidents involving bullfighters have been recorded during events associated with the Feria de Abril.
In a separate case, a 33-year-old farmer died of injuries sustained during a bull-related festival in Brazil.
Major bullrings, including Las Ventas, are equipped with permanent medical teams trained to respond to traumatic injuries such as gorings, where blood loss can be rapid and life-threatening.
However, risk is always present due to the close and unpredictable nature of encounters between bulls and bullfighters.
Ruiz remains under medical observation after the attack. Further updates on his condition are expected.
