Curro Romero facts for kids
Romero fighting a Núñez del Cuvillo bull at the El Puerto de Santa María bullring.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Francisco Romero López |
| Nickname(s) | El Faraón de Camas |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Born | 1 December 1933 Camas, Seville, Spain |
| Monuments | Statue at la Maestranza, Seville |
| Occupation | Bullfighter |
| Years active | 1954–1999 |
| Agent | José Brageli Antonio Chaves Manuel Cisneros Lacruz José Ignacio Sánchez Mejías apoderados |
| Spouse(s) | Concha Márquez Piquer Carmen Tello Barbadillo |
| Website | http://www.curro-romero.com/ |
Francisco Romero López (born 1 December 1933), known as Curro Romero, is a famous Spanish bullfighter. People also call him El Faraón de Camas, which means "The Pharaoh of Camas". He started his professional career in his hometown of Camas on 22 August 1954.
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Growing Up in Camas
Curro Romero was born on 1 December 1933 in Camas, a town in Andalusia, Spain. His family was quite poor. He lived with his uncle in a small, narrow street.
His father worked at the fish market. He loved flamenco music and bullfighting. Curro's mother, Andrea, worked at an olive warehouse. Even though they didn't have much, Curro and his sisters, María and Buendía, always had food. Curro remembers his mother's tasty stews and fish dishes.
Curro learned about bullfighting from his father. His dad enjoyed watching bullfights but never dared to fight a bull himself. Curro, however, decided he wanted to become a bullfighter. He also learned to love flamenco music from his father.
When Curro was about 12 years old, he stopped going to school. He felt he wasn't learning much there. He needed to work to help his family. He became a shepherd, looking after cows, sheep, and pigs on a farm near the Guadalquivir River. He earned a small amount of money and some food each day. He didn't like being told what to do or being pushed around, so he quit this job.
While working on the farm, Curro could hear the cheers from the bullring in Seville. The Maestranza bullring was less than 3 kilometers away. This made him dream of becoming a bullfighter. He would practice at home, using any cloth he could find as a cape. Curro believes that his time on the farm made him serious about bullfighting.
Curro's grandmother helped him get a job as an errand boy for a pharmacist in Seville. This job came with a bicycle. The pharmacist knew about Curro's dream and let him use the bike to go watch bullfights. Curro also visited inns where bullfighters gathered, sharing his love for the Betis football team.
Becoming a Bullfighter
Curro Romero's first time facing a bull was when he was 13 years old. It was a young bull from a farm owned by Don Juan Conradi.
His first professional fight without horses was on 22 August 1954, in his hometown of Camas. He fought alongside José Martínez Limeño. Curro first fought bulls with horses in Utrera on 8 September 1954. He made his début at the famous Las Ventas bullring in Madrid on 18 July 1957.
In 1957, Curro also fought as a novillero (a beginner bullfighter) at the Maestranza in Seville. Fans loved his performance so much that they wanted him to walk around the arena to receive their cheers. He even got carried out on people's shoulders through the Prince's Gate after cutting two ears from a bull.
On 18 March 1959, Curro Romero officially became a full bullfighter. This special event is called an alternativa. It happened at the Valencia bullring. His "godfather" was Gregorio Sánchez. He didn't have a perfect day, but it was an important step.
A couple of months later, on 19 May 1959, his alternativa was confirmed at Las Ventas in Madrid. This time, Pepe Luis Vázquez Garcés was his "godfather." The event was cut short because of rain.
Curro Romero also fought in Latin America. His first fight there was in Manizales, Colombia, on 23 January 1960. He also had his alternativa confirmed in Mexico City on 24 February 1963.
Curro Romero was carried out on shoulders through the Prince's Gate at the Maestranza in Seville five times. This is a huge honor for a bullfighter. On one occasion, he even refused the honor!
- 19 June 1960
- 19 May 1966 (He fought six bulls alone and cut eight ears, which is a record for the Maestranza!)
- 24 April 1967
- 13 June 1968 (He fought six bulls alone again)
- 19 April 1980
He was also carried out through the Great Gate at Las Ventas in Madrid seven times.
- 20 September 1959
- 4 July 1963
- 24 May 1965
- 28 May 1966
- 7 July 1966
- 26 May 1967
- 24 May 1973 (He cut two ears but refused to be carried out)
One time, on 23 May 1967, during a big bullfighting festival in Madrid, Curro refused to fight a bull. He said the bull had already been fought. This was a serious rule break back then, and he was briefly held by the authorities.
On 30 August 1985, Curro was supposed to fight in Colmenar Viejo. He couldn't because he was sick. Another bullfighter, José Cubero Sánchez, took his place. Sadly, Cubero was killed by a bull that day.
Curro Romero helped 35 other bullfighters start their careers. Among them were Julio Aparicio Díaz and Cristina Sánchez. There's a statue of Curro in Seville, near the Maestranza bullring. In 2020, he became the first bullfighter to be named "Favourite Son of Andalusia."
Curro said one of his best performances was on 20 April 1967, in Seville. He didn't cut any ears, but his performance was so amazing that the crowd carried him out on their shoulders.
Bullfighters often get injured. Curro was badly gored nine times during his career:
- Algeciras, 19 June 1962
- La Línea, 15 July 1962
- Zafra, 5 October 1962
- Palma de Mallorca, 11 August 1963
- Almería, 24 August 1965
- Madrid, 16 May 1968
- Málaga, 17 September 1972
- Puerto de Santa María, 18 July 1983
- Aranjuez, 9 June 1989
Curro's Unique Style
Curro Romero's way of bullfighting was very special. A famous bullfighting writer, Antonio Díaz Cañabate, said Curro's style was "an inspiration." He described it as "pure bullfighting." He also said that when Curro fought, it was like a magical "elf" was guiding his cape.
Whether Curro had an amazing day or a difficult one, his fans always supported him. Díaz Cañabate even compared watching Curro's bullfighting to enjoying a fine sherry.
Retirement and Legacy
Curro Romero fought in about 900 bullfights during his career. He officially retired at a festival in La Algaba, Seville, on 22 October 2000. He cut three ears at this event. However, the last time he wore his special bullfighting suit, called the suit of lights, was on 10 September 2000, in Murcia.
Curro's career was one of the longest ever, lasting 42 years. He had days of great success and days of big failures. His fans were divided into two groups: curristas, who loved him no matter what, and anticurristas, who were always critical.
Curro is a big fan of the Real Betis Balompié football team. He was also a friend of the famous flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla.
In 2001, a group of reporters and bullfighting fans chose Curro Romero as one of the ten most important bullfighters of the 20th century. He is on this list with other legends like José Gómez "Joselito" and Juan Belmonte.
Personal Life
On 26 October 1962, Curro Romero married singer Concha Márquez Piquer in Madrid. They had two daughters, Concha and Coral. Sadly, Coral died in an accident in the United States in 1986. Curro and Concha divorced in 1982.
On 16 February 2003, he married Carmen Tello Barbadillo in a civil ceremony. After his first wife passed away in 2021, Curro and Carmen were able to marry in a church ceremony on 18 December 2022.
A judge once described "Currism" (the feeling of supporting Curro Romero) as a very strong and loyal feeling for the bullfighter. It was seen as a source of hope and a way of understanding life for his fans.
Health Updates
Even after retiring, Curro has faced some health challenges. In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, he had a tumor in his throat. He chose to have radiotherapy instead of surgery so he wouldn't lose his voice. After 38 treatments, the tumor disappeared, and he recovered at home.
In May 2024, when he was 90 years old, he broke his hip in an accident at home. He had surgery and is now recovering well with his wife's help.
Awards and Honors
Curro Romero has received many important awards, which allow him to be called "Excelentísimo Señor".
- 1993: Medal of Andalusia, for his great work and service to others.
- 2005: Named a Favourite Son of the Province of Seville.
- 1997: Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts.
- 2008: Became an Academic at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de Santa Isabel de Hungría in Seville. He was the first bullfighter to receive this honor.
- 2020: Favourite Son of Andalusia.
See also
In Spanish: Curro Romero para niños
