Most feared in Spain and most beloved here at Documenting Reality, this is a big loss
Ratòn killed three men and injured dozens more in
bullfighting fiestas. He died of old age.
- Ratón took his first life on 9 August 2006 during Sagunto's festival, when he gored a 56-year-old man from León more than ten times. The killing was caught on video and was viewed on the Internet by hundreds of thousands of people. It made Ratón an instant star, and his owner was flooded with requests from bullfighting clubs. Bulls that have killed people are classified as muy buenos (very good); fiestas starring such bulls attract more people than usual, and bullfighting clubs will pay more money to exhibit them.
- Ráton's second kill was made in 2008 in the arena of Benifairó near Valencia when he attacked a 27-year-old amateur matador, catching the man only two feet from safety. After hitting the man from behind, Ratón threw him in the air several times before leaving him trampled in the ring with fatal injuries.
- The bull claimed his third victim in Xàtiva on 13 August 2011, killing a 29-year-old man who had jumped into the arena while drunk. A video played repeatedly on Spanish television showed the unnamed man being lifted on the bull's horns before being thrown to the ground and attacked***.
*** See video + thread
Named Raton – meaning Mouse – because he was born so small, the 12-year old black bull with distinctive white triangular marking between his perilous horns earned his breeder up to 15,000 euros each time he appeared in the ring at bullfighting events across rural Valencia.
He retired two years ago and was put to stud after fatally goring his third victim in a seven year career during bullfighting events called “bous al carrer”, when amateurs demonstrate their bravado by dodging the horns of bulls in the ring.
Unlike typical corridas the “bous al carrer” do not end with the death of the bull by the matador’s sword and individual animals can earn reputations on the circuit for their speed and agility.
After killing three men and causing injuries to dozens more, Raton was so popular at festivals that town halls would pay more than five times the going rate for his participation in their local celebrations.
He even had his biography written and a video game of which he is the protagonist created in his honour.
But in 2011, when the third death provoked controversy over safety at such festivals, his owner, Gregorio de Jesus decided to retire him.
Instead he would occasionally make guest appearances in the ring – the last at Las Fallas festival in Valencia on March 15 – but bull dodgers were forbidden from facing him.
Mr de Jesus said Raton had died naturally on Sunday at his ranch in Campanar, near Valencia and would now be stuffed and placed on display for his fans.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...aton-dies.html
Wiki entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat%C3%B3n
Thread by güttsfükk
http://www.documentingreality.com/fo...-2011-a-85631/ 
