Fear & Lowing: A Weekend at California’s Bullfighting School

She bursts into the ring at full gallop, kicking up dust as she circles around toward the brightly colored capes being fluttered her way. This first cow is small – 250 pounds at most – with stubby little horns. Her initial cape passes are impeccably performed by Coleman Cooney, owner and founder of the California Academy of Tauromaquia, and Santiago Gonzalez, a former student-turned-instructor and amateur torero, bullfighter, in Mexico.