11-year-old in Bullfighting Ring
Young matador, 11, slaughters six bulls to claim a controversial place in history
A child matador has infuriated animal rights activists by killing six young bulls in a bid to have his name entered in the Guinness Book of Records.Michelito Lagravere, who is just 11, believes he should hold the world record for his controversial feat.
The youngster, whose father is former French bullfighter Michel Lagravere, slaughtered the animals in a ring in Merida, Mexico.
A judge gave the go-ahead for the child to fight six calves aged from one to two years after reviewing licences submitted by Mr Lagravere.
Animal rights groups and child protection officials had pleaded with authorities to suspend the event.
But now a video of the fight will be sent to Guinness for consideration for a world record - for the number of bulls killed and the age of the bullfighter.
Some 3,500 people, including many young children, gathered at the ring to witness the bullfight.
‘I'm happy to have achieved this great victory,’ Michelito said afterwards.
Several bullfights by Michelito were banned in France last summer after protests from anti-bullfighting associations.
Michelito has killed dozens of bulls in Mexico since he was six years old.
The anti-bullfighting alliance in France said it had targeted him over other younger matadors because ‘he fights in corridas aiming to kill’.
Despite opposition from animal rights activists, bullfighting remains a popular spectacle in countries such as Mexico, Spain and parts of France.
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to slaughter -
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to hold the world record -
a feat -
a bull-ring
to give the go-ahead -
a calf -
to plead -
to gather -
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What do you think of child matadors?
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