Bullfight tonight — hold the blood.
By Libby Page
Bullfighting purists can complain all they want, but repeatedly stabbing a bull in the neck in front of a coliseum crowd is still illegal in the United States. Disappointing, perhaps, but at least there's a rodeo clown at Friday and Saturday's south-of-the-border extravaganza, La Feria Charra. The Mexican rodeo philosophy says it's only entertaining if somebody might get gored. And with bareback bull riding and a trick called paso de la muerte (death leap), risky behavior is a given. Bullfighters Paco Munoz and Alberto Espinoza, fresh from shows in Spain, yell Toro! in front of 700-pound bulls and hold nothing but red capes, because we took their swords away. So we're not so sure the thing'll be bloodless.
Show producer Kevin Knight worked with the American Royal for two and a half years to put on the event, and each night mixes a bullfight, an equestrian show and a concert. Friday, the group Bronco: El Gigante de América serenades with Norteño music. Saturday, Conjunto Atardecer plays. Inexplicably, the Mexican rodeo also features Canadian Mounties. Two of them.
The multicultural fun starts at 7:30 p.m. at Kemper Arena (1800 Genessee). Tickets cost $12-$50. For more information, see www.mexfair.com.