Bullfighter Paquirri gored by bull in Huesca

The number of bullfights in Spain continues to fall, but many defend the tradition

A leading Spanish bullfighter is in a serious condition after being gored by a bull, according to a regional government official.

Francisco Rivera Ordonez, known as Paquirri, was hurt while taking part in a bullfight in the north-eastern town of Huesca on Monday.

Doctors said the bull's horn sank 25cm (10in) into Paquirri's groin.

In 1984, his father - also known as Paquirri - died after being gored in a fight in the city of Cordoba.

As well as his father, Paquirri's grandfather and brother belong to the family bullfighting dynasty.

In a 2008 profile, CBS News said the two brothers were the leading lights in "a new generation of matadors in Spain who bring more excitement and more spectators into the bullring than there's been for some time".

Doctors said the bull's horn sank 25cm (10in) into Paquirri's groin

In February 2009, Paquirri was awarded a Fine Arts medal by Spain's culture ministry.

El Pais newspaper said (in Spanish) that the injury also damaged Paquirri's abdomen, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

About 2,000 bullfights are still held every year in Spain, but the numbers are falling. In 2010, Catalonia became the second Spanish region after the Canary Islands to ban the tradition.

Opponents describe the blood-soaked pageants as barbaric, while fans - including Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy - say the tradition is an ancient art form deeply rooted in national history.

Last year, a major bullfighting event in Madrid was cancelled after all three matadors were gored.