By this point I have now reviewed a dozen figures representing a dozen breeds of domestic cattle, helping make Bos taurus one of the top five most reviewed species on the ATB. It was my goal to try to make it number one this year, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. And frankly, I don’t think I want to review that many cattle figures in one year, as much as I might love them. Over the course of my cattle reviewing career I’ve reviewed breeds bred for milk production, beef production, or both, but today I’m looking at a breed that’s bred for strength, agility, stamina, and aggression. The Spanish fighting bull.
The Spanish fighting bull is raised free range on vast ranches and estates in Spain, Portugal, parts of Latin America, and southern France. For all intents and purposes, they’re feral animals. To keep them as wild and aggressive as possible they rarely encounter humans, and never humans that are on foot until they’re in the fighting arena. Calves stay with their mothers for the first year and are then weaned, branded, and separated by sex. Once they’re mature, bulls are put through rigorous testing that determines if they’ll be used for fighting or consumption. Cows also go through this testing and if they pass, they’re kept for breeding.
I thought about diving into bullfighting and its surrounding controversies but decided it was too far outside the scope of this simple toy review. Regardless of how you feel about bullfighting, the practice is exceptionally popular in Spain and deeply ingrained in Spanish culture. In Spain, the Spanish fighting bull is the national animal, and it can be seen on billboards, post cards, pottery, stickers, collectible coins, and of course, reproduced as figurines. There are a lot of Spanish bull models to choose from and by far the most impressive are those by DeQube, a Spanish company that released a series of Spanish fighting bulls that were actually manufactured by CollectA. Another Spanish company, Meskebous, also made some impressive figures of the breed. I might someday pursue one of the DeQube models but in the meantime, I’ve contented myself with Mojo Fun’s 2015 fighting bull. Fighting bull figures have also been made by the usual western companies; CollectA, Schleich, Papo, and Safari.
Mojo Fun’s Spanish fighting bull has a head-body length of 4.75” (12.07 cm) and stands 2.75” (6.99 cm) tall at the shoulder. The actual bull stands 4.5-5.5’ (1.4–1.7 meters) tall at the shoulder and weighs 1,100-1,540 lbs. (500–700 kg) on average. This puts the Mojo figure at 1/19-1/24 in scale.
The figure is presented in a static pose, with the head held high and the left forelimb slightly lifted so that only the tip of the hoof is touching the ground. I find the pose a bit too stiff and rigid but the sculpt makes up for it with excellent attention to detail and anatomy. The figure has the athletic and muscular build, and the distinctive shape of a fighting bull. The horns are long and hook forward, the neck is muscular and curved, and the legs are long and slender but appear muscular and strong. The figure represents a cattle breed that’s a far cry from the docile breeds reared for milk and meat and it has the appearance of a formidable and wild animal.
Finer details include a fine coat of hair across the entire toy that nicely follows the contours of the figure’s body. On the forehead the hair radiates out from its center. Creases and skin folds run down the neck and muscles bulge over the shoulder. A thick dewlap runs along the throat and connects to the brisket along the chest. The back dips down slightly and the hips protrude somewhat. The tail is long and whiplike, with the tuft at its tip connecting to the right hindlimb. A sculpted scrotum and sheath indicate that this Spanish fighting bull is, indeed, a bull.
The entire figure is painted black with a gray wash that brings out the details in the hair and musculature. The horns are white with black tips, and the eyes and muzzle have a glossy sheen, making them appear wet and lifelike. The hooves are dark gray. The figure displays the classic coloration of the Spanish fighting bull, but they come in a range of colors and patterns. The black color combined with the gray wash give the toy a statuesque quality.
The Mojo Spanish fighting bull is not as dynamic in pose as some offerings from other companies but is an otherwise excellent, elegant, and beautiful representative of its breed. Mojo figures can be hit or miss, and truly great ones are rare, but this figure easily ranks among their best. Even other cattle from Mojo don’t come close. Cattle collectors, don’t let this one pass you by!