Samuel Castrejón

Samuel Castrejón: Biography, Achievements and the Rise of a Novillero with a Distinctive Style

Samuel Castrejón is one of the young novilleros attracting attention on the Spanish bullfighting scene thanks to his artistic sensitivity, training and progress, marked by important successes in novillada competitions.

Born in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, on 8 September 2006, he trained at the José Cubero ‘Yiyo’ Bullfighting School. There, he began developing the technical foundations of a profession in which he seeks to combine courage, control of the bull and artistic expression.

His progress gathered momentum during the 2025 season, when he won the Camino hacia Las Ventas and Kilómetro Cero competitions. In February 2026, he moved up to novilladas with picadors, making his debut at Valdemorillo, where he cut two ears in his first appearance.

Castrejón is now entering a crucial stage of his career, as he seeks to establish his identity in the ring and demonstrate his ability against different types of bull and before a variety of audiences.

Samuel Castrejón – Biographical Profile

• Name: Samuel Castrejón.

• Date of birth: 8 September 2006.

• Place of birth: Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.

• Bullfighting school: José Cubero ‘Yiyo’ Bullfighting School.

• Debut without picadors: 23 June 2024, in Fuensalida, Toledo.

• Debut at Las Ventas: 9 October 2025.

• Debut with picadors: 6 February 2026, in Valdemorillo, Madrid.

• Current professional status: Novillero with picadors.

• Notable achievements: Winner of Camino hacia Las Ventas and Kilómetro Cero in 2025; cut two ears on his debut with picadors at Valdemorillo in 2026.

• Alternative: No date for his formal confirmation as a matador de toros is recorded in the sources consulted.

Samuel Castrejón’s Biography: From the Yiyo Bullfighting School to Major Fairs

His Early Career in Fuensalida and Bullfighting Training

Samuel Castrejón’s professional career began to take shape at the José Cubero ‘Yiyo’ Bullfighting School, where he acquired the foundations needed to face his first public performances.

On 23 June 2024, he made his debut as a novillero without picadors in Fuensalida, Toledo. This marked the beginning of his participation in promotional bullfights and gave him the opportunity to test his progress before an audience.

His training was essential in helping him develop his technique, gain confidence and find his own way of interpreting bullfighting. Castrejón continued to improve, becoming one of the outstanding students of his generation.

2025 – A Season of Success in Novillero Competitions

The 2025 season marked a turning point in his career. Castrejón won the Camino hacia Las Ventas competition and the Kilómetro Cero contest, two achievements that strengthened his position among the promising young talents of bullfighting.

His participation in Camino hacia Las Ventas was delayed following several injuries. He returned to the ring for the sixth qualifying round, held in Los Molinos with novillos from Fermín Bohórquez, where his artistic ability attracted particular attention.

During that performance, he scored 8.14 in the artistic ability category, the highest mark awarded in that category throughout the competition. This result placed him second in the overall standings.

He also stood out in Boadilla del Monte, where novillos from Los Maños were fought. Once again, he achieved the highest marks in artistic ability and ambition, two qualities that helped define his profile as a novillero.

On 9 October 2025, he made his debut at Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, sharing the bill with Pedro Gómez and Ignacio Garibay, with bulls from Ángel Luis Peña. He received no formal recognition for his first novillo but cut an ear from his second, gaining valuable experience as his career progressed.

Valdemorillo 2026 – A Two-Ear Debut with Picadors

On 6 February 2026, Samuel Castrejón faced one of the most important challenges of his career: his debut as a novillero with picadors at Valdemorillo bullring, during the San Blas and La Candelaria Fair.

He shared the bill with Álvaro Serrano, Mario Vilau, Julio Méndez, Sergio Rollón and Félix San Román, facing novillos from Jiménez Pasquau.

Castrejón seized his opportunity, cutting two ears from the novillo he faced in his debut, named Garrote, number 11, a black-coated animal. The result earned him a shoulder-borne exit from the arena and gave his new professional chapter an impressive start.

His performance also earned him recognition as the best novillero of the 2026 Valdemorillo Fair. The award acknowledged his progress and reinforced the expectations raised during his career without picadors.

Samuel Castrejón in Gijón: Fine Natural Bullfighting at the Begoña Fair

On 17 August 2026, Samuel Castrejón took part in the final novillada of the Begoña Fair, held at El Bibio bullring in Gijón.

He shared the afternoon with Emiliano Osornio and Sergio Rollón, facing novillos from La Cercada. Rollón ultimately left the arena on the shoulders of the crowd after cutting two ears from the second novillo of the afternoon.

Although Castrejón did not win any trophies, he delivered a noteworthy performance, particularly against the sixth novillo. This was where he produced his finest moments, performing natural passes with his left hand and displaying his artistic sensitivity and desire to build a faena based on expression.

His sword work prevented him from turning his performance into a trophy. Nevertheless, he received applause after his first novillo and another ovation at the end of his work with the sixth.

His appearance in Gijón offered a glimpse of his artistic approach and his ability to produce quality bullfighting even when the final result does not include trophies.

Samuel Castrejón in Gijón

The Valencian Novillada Circuit – An Opportunity to Keep Progressing

In June 2026, Castrejón was announced as an exchange novillero for the Valencian Novillada Circuit. His inclusion opened the door to new venues and gave him the opportunity to compete alongside fellow novilleros and face livestock from other circuits.

His selection followed his successes in 2025 and a debut with picadors that made a strong impression at the beginning of the Madrid season.

For a novillero still developing his career, taking part in these competitions provides valuable experience, helps him adapt to different bulls and strengthens his standing among professionals and aficionados.

Samuel Castrejón’s Passion for Bullfighting

Bullfighting as a Dialogue and an Art Form

In interviews, Samuel Castrejón has spoken about his desire to establish a special connection with the bull during a faena. His artistic approach seeks to make each movement more than a technical exercise, turning it into part of a performance with meaning and individual character.

In an interview published by Suertematador in March 2026, the novillero reflected on his debut with picadors and the challenge of progressing in a demanding profession. His view of bullfighting centres on the possibility of creating a beautiful work through a dialogue between the bullfighter and the animal.

Castrejón does not wish to be defined solely as an artistic bullfighter or as a man of courage. He believes these qualities should coexist and that professional development depends on finding the right balance between expression, technique and the ability to deal with the challenges of each bullfight.

Studies, Physical Preparation and Discipline

Another interesting aspect of his career is that he combines bullfighting with university studies. Managing both commitments requires careful organisation and a disciplined approach to ensure that his academic responsibilities and training receive the necessary attention.

Physical preparation also plays an important role in his routine. For Castrejón, staying in good condition is not simply a matter of endurance; it also helps him maintain composure and clarity of thought in front of the novillo.

Daily discipline is essential at this stage of his career, when every performance provides an opportunity to learn. A novillero’s progress depends not only on the trophies he wins but also on his ability to learn from experience, correct mistakes and develop his own identity.

Samuel Castrejón’s Main Achievements and Performances

Samuel Castrejón’s career already includes several important milestones, charting his progress from his early appearances without picadors to his entry into the ranks of novilleros with picadors.

His most notable achievements include:

• Camino hacia Las Ventas 2025: Winner of the competition, receiving an outstanding assessment for his artistic ability.

• Kilómetro Cero 2025: Winner of the contest, strengthening his position among the leading young novilleros of his generation.

• Las Ventas, October 2025: Cut one ear on his debut at Madrid’s famous bullring.

• Valdemorillo, February 2026: Cut two ears on his debut with picadors and was named the fair’s best novillero.

• Gijón, August 2026: Produced some fine natural passes during the final novillada of the Begoña Fair.

• 2026 Valencian Novillada Circuit: Selected to fill the exchange position in the competition.

These achievements outline a career that is still taking shape but has already gained visibility through a series of successes and noteworthy performances.

His next objective will be to maintain consistency, secure further appearances and continue developing his own approach to the different challeng