Forcado

A forcado (European Portuguese: [fuɾˈkaðu]) is a member of a group of men that performs the pega de cara or pega de caras ("face catch"), the final event in a typical Portuguese bullfight.

Forcados were initially professionals from lower classes but nowadays people from all social backgrounds practice their art through amateur groups.

In past times the bullring had a staircase to the royal cabin and forcados were employed to ensure that the bull did not enter the stairs.

Nowadays, they only use a more symbolic, less functional version of it in the cortesias ("courtesies", the opening ceremony) or historical demonstrations.

The campinos, who also traditionally wear the knit hats, are also present at the arena to herd the bull back to its pen at the end of the corrida.