The grandstands at the FoodMaxx arena were filled Sunday evening for one of the most anticipated annual events at the Stanislaus County Fair, the Portuguese bloodless bullfights. As the crowd consisted of those of all ages, the bullfighting itself also included young faces, including that of Isaac Zamaroni.

Zamaroni is only 19 years of age, but had dedicated enough time to the art of bullfighting to be able to make his debut as a front man in his hometown of Turlock on Sunday for the Forcados Luso Americanos, one of three local groups showcasing their skills at this year’s fair.

The 2025 Turlock High graduate is among one of the youngest to serve in the role after entering the realm of bullfighting nearly three years ago. And when the time came to step into the arena and face his bull, he and his team didn’t wince. Instead, it took just two attempts for him to record his first career grab.

“It was pretty surreal,” Zamaroni said. “I can't put it into words too well. It’s just a moment that I don't think I'll ever forget. It's crazy to think back to when I was a kid and how much I wanted to do this, and now I’m here actually doing it in front of a lot of familiar faces. It was pretty emotional.

“I’m very proud of myself and my team because we worked hard and are always there for each other. We consider ourselves a family, so all of those guys are my brothers. But you can't boast too much because this sport can humble you quickly.”

Zamaroni remembers being just seven years old watching bloodless bullfighting in Stevinson for the first time, a staple in Portuguese culture. It wasn’t until his junior year of high school when he watched family and friends “dance with the bulls” that he quickly became determined to follow their lead.

“My cousin Michael Avila grabbed a bull when he was 17 or 18. I saw my buddy, David Machado, grab a bull at a similar age, and it was surreal to watch and really inspired me. So, I eventually just showed up to a practice, and my brother-in-law who is the captain of the team, Manuel Cabral, said he saw some talent in me,” Zamaroni recalled. “He always said that a normal person can’t do this. You have to have the fire and the will to sacrifice. Like any other sport, it takes real passion to be successful.”

And what better place to do it than a place with a large Portuguese population where bullfights are frequent, California’s Central Valley? It’s why it has become known as one of the most popular arena events at the Stanislaus County Fair.

Also competing this weekend were Aposento de Turlock and Grupo de Forcados Amadores de Merced.

“Turlock is a special place to be able to do this,” Zamaroni said. “Being the front man for the first time here wasn’t really planned, but I was anticipating it. We’re a really young team — one of the youngest — and I was just the next rookie that needed to do it eventually. There’s a lot of history here, so I’m really happy to be a part of it this year.”