BULLFIGHTERS FAMILIES

Maybe foreigners will ask why Ronda is known as the place where standing bullfight was born.

This is because a historic bullfighter was from our town, Francisco Romero, who was the first one that started facing bulls standing up. In fact, in those times Bull Games were played by chevaliers on horseback and Ronda's Bullring was built by a Royal School of Cavalry.

His grandson Pedro Romero was another great bullfighter, better than his grandfather, and he was killing bulls until he was 77 years old. He killed more than 5.000 bulls without being injured and he denied to bullfight for invader Napoleon's troops.

Pedro Romero

In the 20th century another family dignifies Ronda's bullfighting tradition. The patriarch of these series of bullfighters was Cayetano Ordoñez, called "el Niño de La Palma" - "La Palma" was his father's shoe store-. Like his brothers, he tried bullfigting and he was the best of them. Apart from his fine style and well making, he is remembered for organizing the first Bullfight in the Goyaesque style to celebrate Pedro Romero's 200th birthday. His son, Antonio was celebrating this festival every year till he died and Antonio's grandsons have been bullfighting this event until today.

"El niño de la Palma" bullfighting a big one.

Antonio Ordoñez is the best bullfighter born in Ronda and one of the best of all time. He had celeb friends as Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles, they both felt in love with Ronda, even the second one lies in our town. Antonio's bulfighting style was authoritative and elegant and he rivaled the number one with his brother-in-law Luis Miguel Dominguín. His life looked like a novel but he was very kind and humane.

Ernest Hemigway photographed with the father and his son.

Orson Welles and Antonio Ordoñez

Ernest Hemingway in Ronda

His daughter Carmen got married with another bullfighter, Paquirri, who died young in Pozoblanco (Cordoba) while he was facing a Bull called "Avispao" -it means clever-. Their children Francisco and Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez have became bullfighters too and they are active at the present time. They are very famous and they also work modelling and advertising clothes, watches, perfume, etc.

Fran Rivera Ordoñez

Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez

Old images from Miguel Martin´s Photographic File can be bought at "Viuda de Cipriano" store, at 18 Espinel Street, Ronda