Colorado Bullfighting

Colorado's brief, but notorious, relationship with bullfighting caused a tremendous stir back in 1895 and nearly caused a riot in the now defunct town of Gillett, Colorado (not Gillette, Wyoming).

Fortunately, a photographer was on hand to capture scenes from what was only the second proper Mexican bullfight in the United States.

A small group of people are gathered in a bullfight arena.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, takes place in the bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals. The bull lunges as the matador waves his cape; another bullfighter is in the ring and a mounted picador carries a lances. Spectators are in the stands behind the wood fence.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, takes place in the bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals. A bullfighter waves his cape at the bull, who paws the ground, while the matador looks on. The mounted picadors carry lances; one of the horsemen is seven-foot-tall, long-haired Charlie Meadows, Joe Wolfe's partner. Spectators are in the stands behind the wood fence.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, (the third day planned was cancelled) takes place in the bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event. The bull is coming out of the gate and the Mexican matador, probably Jose Marrero, waves his cape; another bullfighter is in the ring. Spectators are in the stands behind the wood fence.
View of a bullfight in a small stadium, in Gillett, Colorado, show two men in bullfighting attire. Two matadors hold capes, a third sits atop a bull who is ready to charge. The bullfighters are in a wooden corral, while observers watch from bleachers. The matador's costumes include hat, embroidered bolero jacket, epaulets & pants.
In This view of "La Cherita" participating in a bullfight in Gillett, Colorado, a woman in Mexican dress rides sidesaddle atop a horse. Wooden bleachers are in the background of the arena, with a few observers on the wooden bleachers. Bulls are in the background.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, is taking place in the wood bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals. The dead bull is being dragged away by two men driving two horses or mules with Mexican flags in their bridles. A mounted cowboy is nearby in the ring. Observers are in the stands behind the wood fence; the grandstands are decorated with bunting and a flag.
The wood bullfight ring used for the Mexican bullfight on August 24 and 25, 1895, within the racetrack at Gillett, Colorado, is empty; snow is on the ground; trees on the hills behind are leafless. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, takes place in the wood bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals. A matador holds a cape and looks toward the bull with barbs in his hide, and mounted seven-foot long-haired picador Charlie Meadows looks into the stands at what appears to be Joe Wolfe in Mexican costume.
A matador, possibly Jose Marrero, looks into the stands during the bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, in the wood bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. The grandstand is almost empty, with people standing in the top row. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, is taking place in the bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, for the occasion. Joe Wolfe was the organizer of the event which caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals. Two of the Mexican bullfighters confront the bull; the matador holds a cape and stands at a distance, and the banderillo holds two banderillas directly in front of the pawing bull, who is already wounded. Spectators are in the stands behind the wood fence.
The bullfight on August 24 or 25, 1895, in the wood bullring built at the race track in Gillett, Colorado, is about to begin. Joe Wolfe, the organizer of the event and "Master of the Fiesta," wearing a Mexican sombrero, a velvet suit with silver buttons and gloves, stands in a decorated box in the stands, with four men behind him. People around look toward the bullring; there are many empty seats in the arena. The event caused a scandal because of its cruelty to animals.