Nimeño II
Encyclopedia
Christian Montcouquiol ("Nimeño II") (born in Speyer
, Germany
, March 10, 1954, died in Caveirac
, France
, November 25, 1991) was a French matador.
On May 14, 1989 in Nîmes
, Nimeño II and Portuguese torero Victor Mendes were scheduled to fight six bulls. Mendes was injured early in the match, and Nimeño II won renown for defeating all six bulls single-handedly.
and suffering paraplegia
. After months of rehabilitation, Nimeño regained the use of his legs and right arm, but his left arm remained paralzyed. On November 25, 1991, Nimeño II committed suicide by hanging himself in his garage.
and Caveirac are named for Nimeño II. There are commemorative plaques to Nimeño II in the arenas of Arles
, Mont-de-Marsan
, and Béziers
in France, and Aguascalientes
in Mexico
. At the arena in Nîmes, a statue of Nimeño II (above) was erected, and the annual "Trophy Nimeño II" is awarded there to the leading novillero without picadors. The street in front of the Béziers arena is named "Plaza Nimeño II".
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, March 10, 1954, died in Caveirac
Caveirac
Caveirac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, November 25, 1991) was a French matador.
Career highlights
- Public debut, March 30, 1967, in TarasconTarasconTarascon , sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:...
, France
- First novillada without picadorPicadorA picador is one of the pair of horsemen in a Spanish bullfight that jab the bull with a lance. They perform in the tercio de varas which is the first of the three stages in a Spanish bullfight.The picador has three main functions:...
s, July 19, 1969, Saint-Gilles (France), novillos from André Pourquier - First novillada with picadors, May 28, 1972, Lunel (France) -- and first resounding success, the beginning of his public career, after which he never appeared without picadors.
- May 17, 1975 in Nìmes (France), novillos from Matías Bernardos.
- First appearance in Spain, August 17, 1975, in Santiestéban (Jaén) -- novillos from Germán Gervás.
- Alternativa in Nìmes, May 28, 1977 -- padrino, Angel Teruel; testigo, Manzaneres -- bulls from Torestrella.
- First appearance as a matador in Spain, May 30, 1977, in Barcelona -- bulls from Matías Bernardos.
- Confirmed his alternativa in Mexico, January 28, 1979, padrino, Manolo Martines, testigo, Dámaso González -- bulls from Tequisquiapan.
- Confirmed his alternativa in Madrid, May 21, 1979, padrino, Rafael de Paula; testigo, Angel Teruel -- bulls from Luis Algarra
Biography
Christian Montcouquiol was the brother of Alain Montcouquiol, a bullfighter known as "Nimeño I". From 1975 to 1982, Christian appeared in arenas in Spain, France, and Latin America under the direction of Spanish promoter Manolo Chopera. In 1982, Christian separated from Chopera and turned to his brother Alain for management.On May 14, 1989 in Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, Nimeño II and Portuguese torero Victor Mendes were scheduled to fight six bulls. Mendes was injured early in the match, and Nimeño II won renown for defeating all six bulls single-handedly.
Death
On September 10, 1989 in Arles, Nimeño II was hurled into the air by a bull named Pañolero. He landed on his head, fracturing his cervical vertebraeCervical vertebrae
In vertebrates, cervical vertebrae are those vertebrae immediately inferior to the skull.Thoracic vertebrae in all mammalian species are defined as those vertebrae that also carry a pair of ribs, and lie caudal to the cervical vertebrae. Further caudally follow the lumbar vertebrae, which also...
and suffering paraplegia
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek: παραπληγίη "half-striking". It is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal...
. After months of rehabilitation, Nimeño regained the use of his legs and right arm, but his left arm remained paralzyed. On November 25, 1991, Nimeño II committed suicide by hanging himself in his garage.
Honors
The bullfighting arenas of EauzeEauze
Éauze is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-History:Éauze takes its names from the Gaulish Aquitani tribe of the Elusates....
and Caveirac are named for Nimeño II. There are commemorative plaques to Nimeño II in the arenas of Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, Mont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan is a commune and capital of the Landes department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Mont-de-Marsan airbase « Constantin Rozanoff » is a major installation of the French Air Force. The base includes CEAM , an air defense radar command reporting centre, and an air defence control...
, and Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
in France, and Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes....
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. At the arena in Nîmes, a statue of Nimeño II (above) was erected, and the annual "Trophy Nimeño II" is awarded there to the leading novillero without picadors. The street in front of the Béziers arena is named "Plaza Nimeño II".