Michel Lagravère Peniche (born December 1, 1997, in
Mérida,
Yucatán
Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the political divisions of Mexico, federal entities of Mexico. I ...
) is a
French Mexican
French Mexicans (french: Franco-Mexicains, links=no, es, franco-mexicanos, links=no or es, galo-mexicanos, links=no) are Mexican citizens of full or partial French ancestry. French nationals make up the second largest European immigrant gr ...
bullfighter
A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...
.
Biography
He has been plying his trade mostly in Mexico and other
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
n countries due to the age restrictions which prevent him from fighting in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and also because a child bullfighter in Latin countries can earn around a hundred thousand dollars a year. The minimum age for bullfighters in Spain is 16 years.
Michelito was embroiled in a controversy recently for killing six young bulls in a single fight in the bullring of
Mérida, Mexico in a bid to get his name in the
Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
(24 Jan 2009).
Animal right activists and child protection groups in the region had objected to such an event but a local judge ruled in its favor after reviewing licenses submitted by Michelito's father. Michelito, who was eleven at the time, killed six calves aged from one to two years old. However, the
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
said that it was not aware of such an event taking place and as such did not recognize the result. They also made it clear that the organization was against records based on killing or harming of animals.
He has also been banned from performing in many French towns after protests by the
Anti-Corrida Alliance, who has been campaigning to ban children from the ring in France.
They have actively targeted Michelito, who they think, always seeks to end a fight with a kill unlike other child toreros.
See also
*
Rafita Mirabal, young Mexican bullfighter.
*
Jorge Elich, young Spanish
lion tamer
Lion taming is the taming and training of lions, either for protection or for use in entertainment, such as the circus. The term often applies to the taming and display of lions and other big cats such as tigers, leopards, jaguars, black pa ...
.
Further reading
*
*
References
1997 births
Mexican bullfighters
French bullfighters
Mexican children
Mexican people of French descent
Sportspeople from Mérida, Yucatán
Living people
{{mexico-bullfighting-bio-stub