Cayetano Delgado from Monterrey, Mex., will be one of two matadors to challenge the bulls at Santa Maria Plaza de Toros in La Gloria. The 29-year-old began training as a matador at age 13 and studied bullfighting in Spain. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod

Santa Maria Plaza de Toros outside of La Gloria presents a new season of exciting bloodless bullfights from January to March.

In 2001, Fred Renk, a former water-purifier salesman who had been an aspiring matador in his youth, introduced bloodless bullfights in the small ring in the brush country about 55 miles northwest of McAllen.

It is illegal to kill a bull in a bullfight ring in the U.S. Instead, a symbolic “kill” is performed by the matador grabbing a flower affixed to the bull’s withers. After the event, instead of heading to the butcher shop, the bulls are retired to the pasture to produce more bulls or put to work on the professional rodeo circuit. 

Outwitting a 1,000-pound bull is exciting to watch and reason to celebrate for Karla Santoyo from Aguascalientes, Mex. She is one of half-dozen female matadors from northern Mexico. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod

As in traditional bullfighting, the matador performs a series of maneuvers, or suertes and pases, using a large cape (capote) or a smaller red cape (muleta). Each pass gets closer to the charging bull. The crowd shouts “¡Olé!” after each of the matador’s maneuvers. 

Renk, at age 83, decided to hang up the montera after the 2020 season. There were rumors that the tradition would continue, but the pandemic quashed any hopes of a return of bullfights at La Gloria. 

A few years ago, Miguel Nunez, who supplied bulls to Renk and the PBR, purchased the plaza de toros from Fred’s daughter. He refurbished the seating and added a stage before reopening in January 2025.  

Santa Maria Plaza de Toros in La Gloria is about 35 miles north of Rio Grande City and 5 hours from Austin. Bloodless corrida de toros return on Jan. 11 and 25, Feb. 15, and March 1. Reservations can be made by calling or texting 956/476-1588. Tickets are for the sunny side of the ring or shady side, and VIP seats can be purchased at the ring. Doors open at 1pm, show starts at 4pm. For more information, go to facebook.com/plazasantamariabullring. 

Ticket prices at the 1,000-seat Santa Maria Plaza de Toros in La Gloria are based on “sunny side” and “shady side.” There is also standing room under the bleachers right at the bull’s eye level. Credit: Miguel Nunez

1,787th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/day-trips.

This article appears in January 2 • 2026.

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Gerald E. McLeod joined the Chronicle staff in November 1980 as a graphic designer. In April 1991 he began writing the “Day Trips” column. Besides the weekly travel column, he contributed “101 Swimming Holes,” “Guide to Central Texas Barbecue,” and “Guide to the Texas Hill Country.” His first 200 columns have been published in Day Trips Vol. I and Day Trips Vol. II.