- 25. May 2018.
Once upon a time in Belgrade
On the 2. of October 1971, at the stadium Tashmajdan in Belgrade, the real Spanish bullfight was organized. This was the first and the only time that "corrida" was held in a European country, outside Iberian Peninsula.
This event was organized by trade company called "Zadrugar" from Belgrade. Before the event, organizers had to struggle with people who were against this type of manifestation. They received a lot of criticism from the Society for Protection of Animals, which wanted to prevent "slaughter bulls." That's why, Dimitrije Kovacevic, former manager of the Sports Center "Tashmajdan," at one point said, that of all those who rebel against bullfight he would seek to bring him the belief that they are vegetarians!
The bullfight on Tashmajdan began, on 2 of October 1971, with a parade of all participants followed by the Spanish Orchestra from the stands. According to the assesment of the media, in the audience that day was aproximately 5,000 people. The main star of this "bloody spectacle" was Luis Miguel Domingin, one of the best Spanish matadors last century, whose skills for bullfights were described in Hemingway's last book called "Dangerous Summer," published posthumously in 1985. Domingin was Picasso's friend and Ave Gardner's lover, who started his matador career with the age of 14. Although he wasn't at full strenght (44 years old), he managed, in a dramatic fight with an injured hand, to kill two bulls. Later on that day, the hosts organized celebration in Skadarska Street (main bohemian quarter) in Belgrade during which they awarded Domingin with pair of bull's ear (as a trophy) and Serbian traditional instrument called "gusle." Especially for participants a roasted bull meat was prepared for dinner.