Retired Matador Ricardo Ortiz Fatally Gored in La Malagueta Bullring Incident

Ricardo Ortiz, a 51-year-old retired matador from Malaga, died after being gored by a bull during preparations for the annual Corrida Picassiana at the La Malagueta bullring in Spain on April 3. The incident occurred while Ortiz was assisting with handling work in the bullring’s corrals ahead of the sold-out event, according to event organiser Lances de Futuro.

In a statement, Lances de Futuro said, “The tragic incident occurred while handling work was being carried out in the corrals, when one of the bulls gave him a severe goring that caused his death.” The organisation expressed its condolences to Ortiz’s family and the local bullfighting community.

Ortiz began his career as a matador in the 1990s, following in the path of his father, Manuel Ortiz Benitez. He was a respected figure within the Malaga bullfighting scene. Despite the tragedy, the Corrida Picassiana proceeded the following day, with participants paying tribute by forgoing music during the opening procession. A prayer call was played in memory of Ortiz once the bullfighters reached the barrier, Lances de Futuro confirmed.

Fatalities in bullrings remain uncommon, though injuries to handlers and performers do occur. The New York Times has reported several high-profile matador deaths in recent decades, including a fatality during a televised fight in 2016 and a death in France in 2017—the latter the first in that country for over a century.

Citing animal welfare sources, hundreds of thousands of bulls are killed annually in bullfights worldwide, though bans have been enacted in many countries. Bullfighting continues to be a significant cultural and sporting event in Spain.

As of now, the bullring community in Malaga mourns Ortiz’s death, while preparations for future events proceed under heightened concern for safety.