Contrary to what many people think bullfighting is very popular in this area and is exactly the same as in Spain where the bull is killed. Many of the towns in the area have several bull fights during the course of their annual fete.
However les Landes is famous for the course Landaise which is a much milder version of bullfighting in its most simplistic explanation.
There are teams of men who are divided into "handlers", "dodgers" (ecarteurs)and "jumpers" (sauteurs)(my translation) During the season points are awarded and the top team along with the top dodger and top handler are awarded the championship. Cows, as opposed to bulls, are used and it seems that the more courses that they go to the more crafty they get! A cow, with a rope attached to its horns, is released into the ring and manoeuvered into position at side of the ring. Then the dodger places himself in the middle of the ring and encourages the cow to charge him. At the very last moment he turns away from the cow as she continues her charge across the ring. Similarly the jumper encourages the cow to charge him and then as she reaches him he jumps over the cow. A very simple explanation but I hope that I have given you some idea of what happens. Occasionally there are also courses without the rope which of course are much more dangerous for those participating. Several courses are on each weekend and many people follow them avidly, a real passion of les Landes.
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