Born: 1922 (Antofagasta, Chile)
Died: 2009 (Lisbon)
Biography:
Conchita Cintrón, also known as Concepción Cintrón Verrill or La Diosa de Oro (‘The Golden Goddess’), was born on August 9, 1922, in Antofagasta, Chile, and passed away on February 17, 2009, in Lisbon. She was a torera, a female bullfighter, who is widely regarded as the most famous in the history of bullfighting.
Born to a Puerto Rican father, Francisco Cintrón Ramos, who was the second Puerto Rican to graduate from West Point, and an American mother of Irish descent, Lola Kathleen Verrill, Conchita Cintrón had a diverse cultural background. At the age of three, her family relocated to Lima, Peru, where she began her journey in the world of bullfighting.
Cintrón first showcased her passion for horsemanship at the tender age of three when she rode her first pony. At the age of 11, she joined the riding school of Portuguese rejoneador Ruy da Câmara, who became her mentor and bullfighting teacher. Initially training as a rejoneadora, a bullfighter who performs from horseback, Cintrón honed her skills and technique under Câmara’s guidance.
In January 1936, Cintrón made her public debut as a bullfighter at the Plaza de Acho in Lima. However, it was her debut as a novillera, a young female bullfighter, on July 31, 1938, that truly established her as a professional rejoneadora. This accomplishment was a rare honor for a woman at the time.
Her talent and grace in the bullring caught the attention of audiences and taurine critics alike. In August 1938, she made her debut in Mexico City at the Plaza del Toreo. Although she failed to kill the bull, Cintrón became an instant hit with the crowd, causing pandemonium in the stands. Her performance received rave reviews from the critics.
Tragedy struck in 1940 when Cintrón was gored in Mexico City by the bull Chiclanero. Despite the injury and subsequent collapse, she refused surgery and bravely returned to the ring. With one swift thrust, she dispatched the bull, showcasing her determination and resilience.
Throughout the 1940s, Cintrón’s popularity soared, and she became a prominent figure in the bullfighting circuits of Mexico, Portugal, France, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Spanish Morocco. She even participated in a corrida near San Francisco in the United States, in which the bull was not allowed to be killed.
While Cintrón had success outside of Spain, she faced legal challenges within the country. The existing laws aimed to ban female bullfighters but only applied to the Spanish form of bullfighting, which involves killing the bull on foot. As Cintrón practiced bullfighting from horseback, she was able to continue her career legally.
Conchita Cintrón’s impact on society extended far beyond her achievements in the bullring. As a trailblazing woman in a male-dominated field, she shattered gender barriers and inspired countless individuals, both women and men. Her unique combination of grace, style, and bravery, known as duende, captivated audiences and left a lasting impression on the history of bullfighting.
Awards:
– (List any official awards or recognitions received by Conchita Cintrón, omit if there are none)