Irish Bull Fighter.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1921, Page 4

Irish Bull Fighter.

TOREADOR’S STORY. GIBRALTAR, May 7 The cause of the appearance of an Irish bullfighter here, Mr Leonard Trimby, of the Eastern Telegraph Servile, was a boast by Spaniards that no Briton could possibly equal the skill and courage of the Spanish bullfighter. His reply was given last Sunday, when for the first time he faced two bulls in the Linen bullring and killed both of them with a thrust of the matador's sword, after playing them so skilfully with his red cape that the excited crowd carried him in triumph from the ring. This young Irish amateur toreador is the second known British hulllighter, the other being an officer of the Cameron Highlanders named O'Hara, who appeared in the ring early last century.

Trimby’s fair hair, blue eyes, and quiet, unassuming manner go with square shoulders, a medium-sized, alert

j i iaaie, and firm-set jaw. 1 He was horn at Cawnpore, where his I father commanded the Royal Munster ; Fusiliers. He has been at several staj tions, and was once before at Gibraltar j for three years, when bullfighting be- ■ gun to interest him. He returned here j IS months ago and got an old Inill- ] lighter to show him how to use the ! red cape with which the hull’s charge is diverted from the matador’s body. He had only one lesson, amF that with a cow, before making his appearance i in the full toreador’s costume in the ! Linea hullring on condition that his share of the fees should lie given to | charity. "It was a stirring experience,” lie told me, "and from the matador’s point of view I can’t help saving it is exciting sport. Directly the hulls are released into the enclosure you have to make lip your mind instantly on several points. The first is whether the hull is what they call a ‘bravo’ or not. If lie is. he will charge for the red cloth. If not, he will go for the hotly. Both mine charged for the body, and the horns miss you by inches only. Then you need to estimate weight and speed. "After tiring the hull with making him charge your cape, you kill him by thrusting a sword between the shoulder blades. T had been to Gibraltar slaughterhouse to learn the exact point to aim for, and I killed the hull with one thrust, while the other fell dead at the second.”