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PALACE OF KNOSSOS, CRETE, GREECE 1400 BCE

The most famous image of bull-Jumping is probably the Bull-Leaping Fresco from the palace at Knossos, Crete, Greece.
The fresco was painted around 1400 BCE, and depicts a young man performing what appears to be a handspring or flip over a charging bull.
Two young women flank the bull. (We know the sexes of the stylized figures by the way they are painted—women’s skin is usually much lighter than men’s in ancient Greek art.)
2000 years ago, in the biggest and oldest arenas of the world, Romans used Fighting Bulls to sacrify prisonners or fight with pure Gladiators.

CORRIDA DE TOROS

An ancestral rite

From the bottom of the ages, the Iberians develop the art of Corrida after the influence of the romans. This old tradition also helped to reduce the TORO BRAVO population very dangerous for the Humans.

The bull dies in the arena but we have to understand that this ancestral rite and culture is millenary and also comes from the age were modern weapons didn’t exist.
It’s a veneration of the Bull and of the Human who will face him.

That way, was born the concept of « MATADOR de TOROS ».
They developed all the modern strategy to work the Bulls with a red cape until they can face him with a sword.

PORTUGUESE BULLFIGHT

The portugueses also developed at the same time, a way to work Bulls with horses and, at the end, humans with no protection catch him, to immobilize him.

There were a lot of injurys and Killed people before to be able to do it correctly. Those « Bull catchers » are named today : LOS FORCADORES.

The iberian peninsula create the modern concept of closed Arena and you can visit the older arena in activity in RONDA, SPAIN, 800 years old.

Portugueses and Spanish conquistadores import the first Fighting Bulls in South America in the 1500s for the meat and develop the art of corrida especialy in Mexico area.

COURSE LANDAISE, France, 300 years ago

The best BULL JUMPING school is still today the French school because we have a pure school for the SAUTEURS relative to the ECARTEURS school.

Course Landaise is a modern sport of bull-leaping ; It was born in France by the 1700s and is mostly practiced in southwestern France, in the LANDES where Manu Lataste was born. We better say that the Course Landaise area is :

LA GASCOGNE.

300 years ago, young people of GASCOGNE create a traditional game with Wild Bulls and cows living at that time along the Atlantic Beach ; actually, it was authentical Spanish Fighting Bulls and cows heards who came by themselves along the centurys walking across the mountains and along the ocean.

GASCONS were building arenas, closing a street, with everyyhing they had on hand and closed a wild cow or a wild bull, not for killing it but to show their courage.

There were 2 ways to show your skills and talents :
( no more animal killed in this new tradition )
« SAUTER » et « ECARTER » JUMPING over the animal Or realise an ECART using only your body, especialy your legs ( No cape)

The first FRONT FLIP were executed by Mazantini in 1906 over a pure fighting Bull in Peyrehorade, France. It’s still the most dangerous jump today with the « PIEDS JOINTS » feets and knees tieds together. You will see again the Angel, the Twist and the « Karaté » or flat foots.

Horns were not protected until 1936 and a government decret obligates now the producers to protect the top of the horn. We don’t cut the horn, we protect it.

After 3OO years of evolution, the COURSE LANDAISE is now a Sport with a school, a National Federation and a Championship that Manu won in 2005 at the Age of 19 years old. We also teach the sport right in the schools.

It’s a choice assumed to work perfectly the ECART art on one side and the SAUT art. on another side. You have to do a choice at the beggining of your career. You can’t do both, you perfect ONE.

The Course Landaise Heritage is one perfect move face the bull named « ECART » , 5 TRADITIONAL JUMPS and More than 400 shows per year with an incredible knowledge coming from the bottom of the ages.

Visit Fédération Française de course Landaise

MAESTROS DE LA CALLE, RECORTADORES

Back in 1960s, the French « Ecarteurs et Sauteurs » started to develop the speciality in Northern Spain.
Since the 1990s, Spain has his own athletes Jumping over Bulls named RECORTADORES. They jump the Bulls like the French does but give more values to the RECORTES what they have the secret .

The interesting part is that they all have to start their career in the streets, like 300 years ago in France when the traditional Course Landaise was born. They call their art « LOS MAESTROS DE LA CALLE », traduction STREET BEASTS

They work the animals with the Full horn, sharp, not tipped at all. They also develop the tradition of LOS ANILLAS.

With a ring LARGE LIKE A CUP OF COFFEE in your hands, you have to run as close of the horns as you can without being hit by the bull and insert the ANILLA on the top of a pure and sharp Horn not tipped.

Show producers brings Bulls in the streets during regular season and pick the best talents to bring them on biggest shows in closed arenas.

Similary to the Rodeo industry, the winner get the « prize money » and the other contestants will try their chance again at the next show.

Today, the RECORTADORES are a pure mix and an amazing evolution of the French ECARTEURS & SAUTEURS.As in the 60s, they do exchange and exhibitions togethers what’s good for both Sports.

Learn more Click here

AMERICAN FREESTYLE

History repeats across the ages and American Freestlyle is a re-Birth of COURSE LANDAISE and RECORTADORES knowledge on American Land.

With 40 years of story since the first Wrangler Bullfights, professional Bullfighters today learn how to do Cow Boy protection with Bucking Bulls on one side and Freestyle Bullfighting on another side.

American Freestyle takes place in a smaller arena and gives only 1 minute to a pure Fighting Bull and a pure Professional Bull Fighter to do as many pass or jumps he can without being hooked by the bull. Being Hooked is a part of the game and value the Bull’s score.

For more safety, the top of the horn is cutted and Bullfighters wear protections what give them a chance to don’t be pierced by the horns.

Like in Bull Riding, Bull and Men score a number on 50 points and put together a score on 100 points.

The last 10 years ; American Freestyle grew up fastly and takes now place in every state of USA and Canada.

Learn more:UBF

Differences and similarities across the ages :

Modern Sauteurs or BULL JUMPERS do not quite handspring over the bull, as the athlete in the fresco does. They do, however, perform different sorts of Jumps
The animals used in course Landaise, Recortadores and American Freestyle are pure spanish Bulls and Cows in the offspring of the AUROCH.
he oldest jump is a jump with a « GAROCHA » ; a pull used by the bull jumper to push him above the head of the animal. Objects are still used around the world today for differents jumps like « cravate & béret », to tie the legs together, a chair, a barrel, a garocha, even a motocross in Spain !
The first front flip in history was made over a pure fighting bull in PEYREHORADE, France in 1906 by a Bull Jumper named MAZANTINI ; a song still exist today remembering this incredible act on this unforgivable day.
In Course Landaise, Horns are protected and Cows do career of 10 years long. They are the real STARS.
In Spain, Horns are pure & dangerously sharp ; you will find a Surgery room right under the arena to save the life of the recortador in case of bloody injury.
In America, 1/4 of the Horn is cutted for more safety and insurance obligations.