"Ouch!"
5/12/2003 -- 'Forcados' Carlos
Vieira (cq), left, Fernando Machado Jr. and fellow members of the
"Turlock Suicide Squad" try to 'catch' a charging bull during a
bloodless Portuguese bullfight in Laton, California. Portuguese farmers
(predominately dairy farmers) sponsor bullfighting throughout the Central
Valley of California. Under U.S. laws the fighting must be bloodless and
humane, consequently velcro-tipped spears are used instead of real ones.
Forcados are unique to the U.S. Central Valley, Portugal and Brazil. They
purposely put themselves in harms way, actually catching and surrounding a
charging bull in an event that gives new meaning to the word
"macho".
