Por Redaccion The jury has unanimously decided to award this prize for its historical roots, dating back to the Late Middle Ages, making it one of the oldest bullfighting ranches in Spain and a faithful and vivid reflection of the oldest bullfighting tradition in Castilla y León.
March 28, 2025
Castilla y León | Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports
The ‘El Raso de Portillo’ Livestock has been recognized with the Castilla y León Bullfighting Award for the 2024 edition. The jury has unanimously agreed to grant this award «for its historical roots, dating back to the Late Middle Ages, making it one of the oldest bullfighting ranches in Spain and the only one privileged to open the royal celebrations. ‘El Raso de Portillo’ is a faithful and vivid reflection of the oldest bullfighting tradition in Castilla y León.»
The jury has highlighted «the characteristic breed and bravery of its cattle, which shine each year in renowned bullrings, with a notable presence in France.»
Also valued is «its contribution to the promotion of bullfighting culture, particularly in the understanding of cattle in their natural environment, and the interest in bullfighting through initiatives such as its annual bullfighting program for young promising bullfighters and its activity programs for fan associations, bullfighting clubs, and individuals, both Spanish and foreign.»
Lastly, its significant role in preserving the protected area of Salgüeros de Aldeamayor, consisting of wetlands and pine forests along the Duero and Cega rivers, has been acknowledged. Thanks to this livestock, the Valladolid towns of Boecillo, Aldeamayor de San Martín, and La Pedraja de Portillo, within whose territories the ‘El Raso de Portillo’ estate extends, are known throughout Spain.
The jury, appointed by the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, was composed of Pedro Gutiérrez Moya, ‘El Niño de la Capea’, a bullfighter and rancher who received the award in 2022; Marta Pérez López, a bullfighting surgeon, honored with this award in 2023; Laura Vicente Torréns, the mayor of Fuentes de Oñoro (Salamanca); Fernando Fernández Román, a bullfighting critic; Encarnación Martín López, a professor of Historical Sciences and Techniques at the University of León, and Jesús Ignacio Sanz, who served as secretary.
The Castilla y León Bullfighting Award aims to recognize the professional trajectory, merits, or activities of individuals, entities, or institutions that have contributed to the promotion of the cultural, touristic, or economic values of bullfighting in Castilla y León.
It was in 2022 when this bullfighting award was introduced as a new category of the Castilla y León Awards. Prior to that, and since 2015, the Castilla y León Bullfighting Award was granted annually. The recipients since then have been: Santiago Martín Sánchez, ‘El Viti’, in 2015; Víctor Barrio, posthumously, in 2016; the Montalvo Livestock from Salamanca, in 2017; the Bull Runs of Cuéllar, in 2018; the Bullfighting School of the Provincial Council of Salamanca, in 2019; Andrés Mazariegos Vázquez, ‘Andres Vázquez’, in 2020; the Bullfighting Program of Ciudad Rodrigo, in 2021; Pedro Gutiérrez Moya, ‘El Niño de la Capea’, in 2022; and Marta Pérez López, in 2023.
The Castilla y León Awards, held annually since 1984, aim to recognize the work of individuals, groups, or entities that contribute to the exaltation of the values of the Castilian and Leonese Community, or, when carried out by Castilian and Leonese individuals, within or outside the territorial scope of the Community, represent a notable contribution to universal knowledge. In addition to the bullfighting category, these Awards have six other categories: Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation, Literature, Arts, Human and Social Values, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Sports.