The jury has unanimously agreed to award this prize for its historical roots, dating back to the Late Middle Ages, making it one of the oldest bullfighting herds in Spain and a faithful and living reflection of the oldest bullfighting tradition in Castilla y León.
March 28, 2025
Castilla y León |
Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports
The ‘El Raso de Portillo’ Livestock has been recognized with the Castilla y León Bullfighting Award for the 2024 edition. The jury has unanimously decided to grant this award «for its historical roots, dating back to the Late Middle Ages, making it one of the oldest bullfighting herds in Spain. ‘El Raso de Portillo’ is a faithful and living reflection of the oldest bullfighting tradition in Castilla y León.»
The jury has highlighted «the characteristic breed and bravery of its cattle, which shine every year in renowned bullrings, with a special mention for its performances in France.»
Also valued is «its contribution to the promotion of bullfighting culture, particularly in educating about cattle in their natural environment, and the interest in bullfighting through initiatives such as its annual bullfighting contest for young promising bullfighters and its programs for associations of fans, bullfighting clubs, and individuals, both Spanish and foreign.»
Finally, its «significant role in preserving the protected area of Salgüeros de Aldeamayor, comprised of wetlands and pine forests along the Duero and Cega rivers. Thanks to this livestock, the towns of Boecillo, Aldeamayor de San Martín, and La Pedraja de Portillo in Valladolid are known throughout Spain, as the ‘El Raso de Portillo’ estate extends across their territories.»
The jury, appointed by the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, was composed of Pedro Gutiérrez Moya, ‘El Niño de la Capea’, a bullfighter and livestock breeder who received the award in 2022; Marta Pérez López, a bullfighting surgeon, awarded this prize in 2023; Laura Vicente Torréns, mayor of the Fuentes de Oñoro Municipality (Salamanca); Fernando Fernández Román, a bullfighting critic; Encarnación Martín López, professor of Historical Sciences and Techniques at the University of León; and Jesús Ignacio Sanz, who served as the secretary.
The Castilla y León Bullfighting Award aims to recognize the professional trajectory, merits, or activities of individuals, entities, or institutions that have contributed to promoting the cultural, touristic, or economic values of bullfighting in Castilla y León.
It was in 2022 when this bullfighting award became a new category within the Castilla y León Awards. Previously, since 2015, the Castilla y León Bullfighting Award was granted annually. The recipients since that year have been: Santiago Martín Sánchez, ‘El Viti’, in 2015; Víctor Barrio, posthumously, in 2016; the Montalvo Livestock of Salamanca, in 2017; the Cuéllar Bull Runs, in 2018; the Bullfighting School of the Provincial Council of Salamanca, in 2019; Andrés Mazariegos Vázquez, ‘Andres Vázquez’, in 2020; the Bullfighting Contest of Ciudad Rodrigo, in 2021; Pedro Gutiérrez Moya, ‘El Niño de la Capea’, in 2022; and Marta Pérez López, in 2023.
The Castilla y León Awards, held annually since 1984, aim to recognize the work of individuals, groups, or entities that contribute to the exaltation of the values of the Castilian-Leonese Community, or, carried out by Castilian and Leonese people, inside or outside the territorial scope of the Community, represents a significant contribution to universal knowledge. These Awards include six other categories in addition to bullfighting: Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation, Literature, Arts, Human and Social Values, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Sports.