Close-up of the statue of the famous Spanish bullfighter Antonio Ordonez Araujo (1932-1998) outside the bullring of Ronda, Spain
Ordoñez was born Antonio Ordoñez Araujo in Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. He was one of the top bullfighters of his time. As a matador, Ordoñez came face to face with over 3000 bulls. He finally retired in 1968, having fought over 60 bullfights in that year alone, but came back until finally retiring in 1988. He was honored with a monument at the gates of the La Malaguita bullring in Malaga and his ashes lie beneath the "toril" gate, opened to allow the bull to enter, in the oldest bullring in the world, in his hometown of Ronda. His family owned the arena. There is a statue of him outside the arena. Ordoñez was married to Carmen Cristina Gonzalez, and is the father of Carmen Ordoñez who married the matador Paquirri who was killed by a bull in 1985. His grandsons are bullfighters Francisco Rivera Ordoñez and Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez. Ordoñez met a number of writers and actors, and he also starred in a few films. Antonio was a long time friend with Ernest Hemingway, whom he called Father Earnest. Hemingway wrote an account of Ordonez's rivalry with the matador Luis Miguel Dominguin (also Ordonez's brother in law) titled The Dangerous Summer. Ordonez also befriended Hollywood movie star Orson Welles, whose ashes were buried on Ordoñez's estate after Welles' death. Ordoñez died of lung cancer in 1998.
Size: 3744px × 5616px
Location: Statue of Antonio Ordoñez, Ronda, Malaga province, Andalusia, Southern Spain, Western Europe
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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