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Protesters, UA students attend Nogales bullfight

Two UA students crossed into Mexico Sunday afternoon to attend a traditional bullfight as a handful of protesters crowded the Mexican-American border in Nogales.

The two students, agriculture sophomore Sara Herr and computer science sophomore Michael Rivera, said they didn't know what to expect as they made their way into the stadium.

"I was surprised that there were a lot of little kids," Herr said. "I don't think that it was the place for them."

While the students didn't know what to expect, Lisa Markkula, executive director of the Animal Defense League of Arizona, said she knew she would be horrified when she attended the event.

"It ranked with the worst animal abuse I've ever seen," Markkula said.

She went to the bullfight to take pictures showing the torture the bulls and horses endure.

"The horses that are gored don't know where the next attack is coming from," she said.

About 5,000 spectators were in attendance at the new Mario de la Fuente's Indoor Bullring, located four miles from the border, behind a Burger King and a department store.

"I didn't expect it to be as gory as it was. There was a lot of blood," Rivera said.

The traditional bullfight featured two matadors and four bulls, with the matadors alternating between bulls. The matadors agitated the bulls, provoking them to fight, and then run around the ring.

Then two picadors on horses, blindfolded and padded, stabbed the bulls in the neck.

Rivera said the matador then danced around with the bull and jabbed four to six more sticks into the bull's back.

Once the judge decided the bull was ready to be killed, the matador dealt out the death blow by putting a sword in its back, puncturing the bull's heart.

"At first I was very horrified." Herr said. "I've never seen anything bleed that much before."

Herr and Rivera said they enjoyed the event, but were undecided about whether it was inhumane.

"I couldn't do something like that myself, but I can't say that I see anything wrong with it when I'm going to McDonald's and ordering hamburgers," Rivera said.

But local animal rights activist remain opposed to the activity.

For many years bullfighting has come under fire from animal rights activists, who call the sport inhumane and cruel.

The Humane Society is opposed to all animal bloodsports and encourages Arizonans to boycott the bullfights that will now be taking place every other Sunday.

According to a Humane Society statement, promoting bullfighting will "send a dangerous message about the role of violence as entertainment and are arranged primarily for the financial benefit of their organizers."

The Animal Defense League of Arizona plans to find out who is selling tickets to the events and let "everyone know who supports animal cruelty," Markkula said. Protests may be a possibility in the future, she said.

Both Herr and Rivera understand the animal rights activists' views, but are still interested in attending another event.

"It was very intriguing," Herr said.