Today is the launch of the book about the 15 years of activity of the Grupo de Forcados Amadores da Arruda dos Vinhos, written by António Lúcio.
The event will be held today at 6pm in the Municipal Auditorium of Palácio do Morgado, in Arruda dos Vinhos.
Read below the preface by Catarina Bexiga and the author’s introductory note in the book entitled “15 anos a honorar a fale das ramagens”:
“AN ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME! By Catarina Bexiga
Arruda is not just a land of wines. Our land has a unique historical and scenic setting; but also with a vast cultural heritage rooted in the customs and traditions of the population. Arruda is a land of people who know how to be there and are happy to welcome you, people with an open and frank smile. It is a land of People with Faith, due to the devotion they have to Our Lady of Salvation, manifested, particularly, every 15th of August, when Our Lady walks the streets of the town and meets every eye, spreading her support and comfort to each person. one of us. Arruda is a land of passionate people, whose origins of bullfighting events are lost in time, with reports dating back to the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, on the occasion of the Santiago Day festivities.
The affection (expressed in various ways) of Arruda dos Vinhos also involves the existence of Grupos de Forcados. Despite the diffuse knowledge, it can be said that the first group (late 19th century) did not have a constant and organized format and only participated on specific occasions, based on a variable group of friends, with Armando Munhós Bastos da Fonseca. Subsequently, there are also other records of other “rehearsals”, but always sporadically and without continuity.
The Arruda dos Vinhos Forcados Amateurs Group emerged in 2008; this one, with a much more cohesive format and guided by guidelines that were followed to bring it to fruition. The founding corporal, Paulo Lúcio (2008/2009), the following, Edgar Lopes (2009/2010) and Sérgio Miguel (2011/2014), and the current corporal Rodolfo Costa, preserved and defended values that have allowed the Group to learn and grow with the aim of securing its future.
This edition marks the Group’s 15 years of existence; an adventure that already includes many kilometers of road covered, many challenges in between – if it weren’t for the magpie itself, an unpredictable encounter between animal and man – and with many stories to tell, which remain engraved in the memory of all those who were worthy to wear the Arruda dos Vinhos branch jacket. (…)
Introductory Note, by António Lúcio
“More than a year ago, I set out to write a few lines about the 15-year history, or about 15 years of history, of the Grupo de Forcados Amadores de Arruda dos Vinhos, a first-person view, a view from the inside out, of this adventure that began on April 2, 2008 in Arruda dos Vinhos but has now matured enough to see the light of day and be announced to the Arruda community and the world of bullfighting as a reality.
Having been forced and having experienced this unique experience for enough years, knowing a little about the bull and its psychology, knowing the land within the square and its relative weight when a man is chosen to catch a bull, gave me enough knowledge to Facing this new challenge with confidence and moralizing those who joined us in this project became a reality and was consolidated over time.
The first years were full of effort, blood, sweat and tears and many thousands of kilometers covered in pursuit of this dream. One of the highlights was winning the “Certamen de Rejoneo Ciudad de Atarfe” broadcast on Canal Sur and where we signed outstanding performances, with a completely sold-out finale.
In terms of Group philosophy, being forced is much more than wearing a uniform, than citing a bull, clapping it and closing it with the horn or dewlap, or taking it with the withers.
Being forced is an attitude that will last a lifetime: learning to face challenges head on, to solve problems with honor and dignity, to never abandon the companions who share every moment of life with him inside and outside the arena. It’s one, or there are many, connections that are created for a lifetime.
The applause of the public, the bouquet of flowers, the fan or even, sometimes, a religious object that someone from the stands gives you, this, in addition to having dominated the bull, is the great prize of the pitchfork.
And humility will always be present in all his actions.(…)”
