Gijón: The Brilliance of a Season Ticket

Not so long ago, dark political clouds loomed over El Bibio. Biased decisions and far-fetched arguments—claiming that the historic Asturian bullring was no longer fit for use—sought to close it down. The aim: to dismantle the Begoña Fair, one of the strongholds of bullfighting in the north of Spain.

Yet, just two years after bullfighting returned to Gijón, the subscription has grown by two events and now stands as a benchmark—not only in the north, but across the entire country. Gijón is a model in many ways: in the presentation and breeding of bulls, in the careful selection of line-ups, and in maintaining tradition with quality and integrity. It’s no surprise that this is a feria where bulls regularly perform well and the top matadors often cite their appearance in El Bibio among their season’s finest performances.

For the 2025 edition, Circuitos Taurinos, led by Carlos Zúñiga, presents five high-level events: three bullfights, one novillada with picadors, and one rejoneo (horseback bullfight). Each one offers a well-crafted blend of the best from each tier of the bullfighting ladder.

The series opens on Wednesday 13 August with a novillada from La Cercada, featuring two of the most promising young talents—El Mene and Tomás Bastos—joined by Olga Casado, a young Madrid-born novillera who caused a sensation last winter in Vistalegre and now arrives in Gijón with strong momentum.

Thursday 14 August is dedicated to lovers of toreo on horseback, a discipline that enjoys great popularity in this region. Naturally, Diego Ventura, one of the biggest names in modern rejoneo, leads the bill, accompanied by two of the most prominent Portuguese cavaleiros, Rui Fernandes and João Ribeiro Telles. The bulls—also Portuguese—come from the heirs of the late master David Ribeiro Telles. Success is virtually guaranteed.

From Friday 15 August, the traditional corridas begin. Emilio de Justo and the Frenchman Clemente both make their debut in El Bibio, joining Tomás Rufo to face bulls from La Quinta, a Santa Coloma bloodline ranch with a strong history of success in this very arena.

Saturday 16 August brings one of the most powerful line-ups of the season: Morante de la Puebla and Roca Rey—currently the two biggest box office draws in bullfighting—will be joined by Juan Ortega to take on bulls from Núñez del Cuvillo.

The fair concludes on Sunday 17 August with another stellar card: Alejandro Talavante, José María Manzanares, and Pablo Aguado, facing bulls from Puerto de San Lorenzo. It’s a grand finale that preserves the prestige and legacy of both the arena and the fair itself. Long may it continue.