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Sanfermines 2026: Pamplona's Bullfighting Awards Face Scrutiny Over Undeserved Trophies
Herz — World Desk · · 30s summary · 3 min read
The essentials
At the 2026 San Fermín Fair in Pamplona, 17 ears were awarded to matadors. According to Paco Aguado, bullfighting critic for news agency Efe, very few of these trophies reflected genuine merit in the arena. On July 9, Peruvian matador Andrés Roca Rey and David de Miranda of Huelva each earned two ears under the presidency of Cristina Ibarrola, Pamplona's former mayor. Underlying this controversy, Navarre's bullfighting regulation entrusts the presidency of bullfights to local elected officials whose technical expertise varies significantly. Spain has six distinct bullfighting regulations.
- 17 ears awarded at Pamplona's 2026 San Fermín Fair, but critics question their merit
- Paco Aguado (Efe) argues that most of these trophy awards lacked genuine arena performance
- On July 9, Andrés Roca Rey and David de Miranda each carried off with two ears
- Navarre regulations assign bullfight presidencies to local elected officials
- Spain has six distinct bullfighting regulations; Andalusia seeks national harmonization
What We Know
The San Fermín festivities—held annually from July 6 to 14 in Pamplona, Navarre (Spain)—were marked in 2026 by controversy over trophy awards. According to Paco Aguado, bullfighting critic for news agency Efe who covered the entire festival, 17 ears were awarded in total to matadors, but very few reflected genuine merit in the arena.
On July 9, 2026—the fifth bullfight of the San Fermín season—Peruvian matador Andrés Roca Rey and David de Miranda of Huelva each earned two ears. They were carried shoulder-high from Pamplona's Monumental Plaza after their dominant performances against the second and sixth bulls of the Victoriano del Río ranch.
The bullfight's presidency had been given to Cristina Ibarrola, Pamplona's former mayor. Aguado criticized her trophy-awarding criteria as too lenient.
A Fragmented Regulatory Framework
Article 39 of Navarre's Bullfighting Regulation assigns the presidency of bullfights to the municipality's mayor, who may delegate this responsibility to a municipal councilor or to a recognized bullfighting expert.
For the 2026 edition, Pamplona's mayor retained the presidency for San Fermín's main day and distributed the seven other days among municipal councilors from several parties: Geroa Bai, a center-left coalition formed in 2011 in Navarre, and representatives from the UPN, PSN, and PP.
This situation reflects a broader challenge: Spain has six distinct bullfighting regulations—one national and five regional, specific to Andalusia, Aragon, the Basque Country, Castile-and-León, and Navarre.
Toward National Harmonization?
On March 27, 2025, Andalusia adopted a new bullfighting regulation replacing the 2006 version. Regional councilor Antonio Sanz described it as the culmination of four years of consensual work, with a "national vocation" to serve as the foundation for a future uniform regulation across Spain.
Timeline
- March 27, 2025Andalusia adopts a new bullfighting regulation replacing the 2006 version and claiming a "national vocation."
- July 9, 2026The fifth San Fermín bullfight: Roca Rey and De Miranda each earn two ears and leave victorious. Cristina Ibarrola presides over the event.
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