A bullfight is relentless. If a matador is injured, another replaces him, and the bull is killed at the end of each match. To followers of bullfighting the contest between man and beast demonstrates human skill and courage as does no other sport. However, many people believe bullfighting is barbaric and inhumane.

Bullfighting is the national spectacle of Spain and Mexico. It is also popular in Portugal, France, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

A bullfight usually features three matadors, each of whom fights two bulls. The bulls are of a distinctly savage breed especially trained to attack humans. They do so continually, often without cause.

The contest begins with a colorful grand entrance by the participants. After the first bull enters the arena, all three matadors may take turns making passes at it with their muletas, or capes.

The actual fight starts when the picadors, who are horse-mounted members of the cuadrilla, fend off the bull's charges with sharp steel-tipped pikes, called pics. They weaken and anger the bull by piercing its neck and shoulders.

Then come the banderilleros, named after their banderillas, or decorated barbed sticks. Clutching a stick in each hand, they rush the bull on foot and plant the barbs in the animal's neck, weakening and angering the beast even more.

Next, the matador steps in and leads the bull in a series of graceful passes with his muleta. He works as close as possible to the bull. Finally, the matador thrusts his estoque, or sword, into the bull's neck from the front. If the sword enters correctly between the shoulder blades, it severs the aorta, or great artery, and the animal dies almost instantly.

A crowd-pleasing matador may be awarded one or both of the bull's ears or its ears and tail. An exceptionally fierce bull may be honored by having its body paraded around the arena.

A form of bullfighting was practiced on Crete as long as 6,000 years ago, and gladiators of Julius Caesar's time fought bulls in the Roman Colosseum. Successive rulers of other nations tried in vain to ban the sport because of the danger. Spain and Portugal eventually became the center of bullfighting.

By 1900 bullfighting had almost developed into its present form. Then, in 1914, Juan Belmonte revolutionized bullfighting with his daring capework, practiced extremely close to the bull. Most other bullfighters soon began to copy Belmonte's dangerous but exciting style.

The spectacle's combination of grace and danger has made many bullfighters national heroes. Belmonte and Joselito (José Gómez), both of Spain, were the heroes of the golden age of bullfighting at the beginning of the 20th century. Joselito was gored to death at the age of 25 during a competitive bullfight with Belmonte (who lived until he was 69 years old). An excellent book about bullfighting is Ernest Hemingway's ‘Death in the Afternoon'.