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One of the main attractions in Costa Rica during the holiday festivities of December through January is the Costa Rican Bullfight or as known in Spanish: Corrida de Toros a la Tica. The traditional Zapote Festivities attract thousands of Costa Ricans as well as tourists from December 25th to January 2nd.
Contrary to the tradition in Spain and Mexico where bullfighters receive years of training and dress up in colorful and elegant suits, the Costa Rican bullfight is more of an improvisation than an art and no harming of the animal is involved.
A look at the bullring in the town of Zapote will remind you of the ones in Mexico or Spain. The round wooden ring is painted red and white and has its sand center where the “bullfight” takes place. The Costa Rican-style bullfight consists of hundreds of “bullfighters” that take the arena all at the same time and wait for the bull to be released.
The participants then take turns running in front or behind the bull with the intention of getting a good run out of them and luckily escaping without harm. Over 250 bulls are driven in from around the country’s top cattle ranches and the average weight of each specimen is around the half ton.
The crowd gets a kick out of the brave men, and recently women, who take turns slapping the bull or trying to touch them in between the horns. Sometimes organizers tie money to the bull’s horns for the participating “bullfighters” to try and tear them off.
This year, organizers put together a training program for the first time participants that consisted in having a couple of cows released in the arena and chase after the new bullfighters so that they could get a feel of the arena and space.
Aside from the Costa Rican style bullfights , Zapote’s popular attractions also include a number of fair rides, booths, fast food, music and activities.
