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Episode 3: When Humans Attack (Animals)

The Exploitation and Contradiction of South America: La Corrida - Episode 3: When Humans Attack (Animals)

Tysonv
2005-11-05 08:23:00

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Last episode saw our two heroes in the bleachers eagerly awaiting what looked to be the beginning to some sort of bullfight. Seemingly without organization, the lull would immediately turn to chaos to the untrained eye. A door on the far side of the ring suddenly flew open and out charged five confused, young horses followed by a group of yahoos wielding lassos. The horses were probably two or three years old and had evidently never been ridden. The untamed beasts trotted in a pack looking for an exit as the crowd burst into cheer. These skilled cowboys of the campo carefully chose a horse from the pack to capture as they swung lassos over their heads. The first attempt to lasso a horse was a success as the slipknot landed squarely around the horses neck. The horse was stopped mid-trot and ripped out of the pack by its neck. The other cowboys helped steady the horse by grabbing the rope and pulling the distressed animal closer and closer to them. As the other horses were escorted out of the ring, one man who was close enough grabbed the horse's ears and pulled the head of the animal down to the dirt of the ring. The next cowboy grabbed the mane of the horse and took a running leap landing on the bare back. At once the ear holder and rope holder let go and the violated beast took off bucking, jumping, frothing, and running at full speed. The rider could do nothing but be bucked and hold onto the mane for his life.

The crowd was going berserk and I thought one of the over-excited gazers from the trees would definitely take a plunge. The band above the horse entrance bellowed out a wild tune. Sam and I turned to each other, shocked and awed, our mouths wide open. We were already confused enough by every small detail thus far, but this is not what we expected in the least. In my high-altitude, drunken haste I broke Cusco departmental drinking ritual number five and handed the Cusqueña bottle to Senovio's brother to the left of me instead of ...