Chalk one up for the first two bulls at Spain 's top annual bullfighting festival . Between them , they gored or bashed three bullfighters , putting them out of action , and forcing authorities to suspend a bullfight at the San Isidro Festival in Madrid for the first time in 35 years , said a spokesman for Las Ventas bullring , who by custom is not identified . In front of a sold-out crowd of 24,000 at the historic bullring on Tuesday -- and a national television audience -- the first bull , weighing just over half a ton ( 532 kilograms ) gored the first bullfighter , David Mora , in the left leg . He had to leave to get medical treatment . But the tradition says the bull must die , so in stepped the second bullfighter , Antonio Nazare , who finished him off . Next , it was time for the second bull , weighing slightly more than the first at 537 kilograms . He would prove even more dangerous . The third bullfighter , Saul Jimenez Fortes , started with him , but Nazare , who as second bullfighter on the card would normally have faced the second bull , exercised his right to step in , replacing Jimenez in the ring . But the second bull promptly butted Nazare so hard in the knees that he had to be carted off to the on-site infirmary . That left Jimenez as the last bullfighter standing , so he again entered the ring , still facing the second bull . As he moved in for the kill , he was gored in the right leg , but managed to stay afoot until the bull died . Then Jimenez joined his colleagues in the infirmary . There were still four more bulls to fight that day , out of the usual six on the card . But no more bullfighters in the shiny suit of lights . So authorities called it off . The San Isidro festival , named for Madrid 's patron saint , features 31 fights this year , from May 9 to June 8 . It pays top dollar to the top bullfighters . The three injured bullfighters are recovering in a hospital . And the four bulls that did n't fight were returned to their ranches , safe and sound . Spain 's Catalonia region bans centuries-old bullfighting .
Two injuries put three bullfighters out of commission . The annual festival is Spain 's largest . 31 days make up the event , from May 25 to June 1 .