The "mulillas"

The horses and mules as well as their riders are ostentaciously dressed up in elegant traditional clothing for each afternoon´s fight.Each afternoon at 5.30 they gather in front of the Town Hall and make their way to the bullring. This event is a kind of impromptu parade, as they are lead by the local brass band of the Town Hall up to the bullring.

A stop or two is made along the way and the whole thing tends to attract a crowd. The horse-riders lead the entourage, dressed in typical seventeenth-century black capes and hats. Behind them come the mules with their colourful head-bands and bells lead by fourteen mule-drivers. These mules are used to drag off the body of each bull from the ring once they have been killed.

The spectacle could be a nice warmup to the later events inside the ring and it´s an excuse to imbibe a few drinks as there are always a couple of traditional "refreshment stops" made at the Iruña bar (Plaza del Castillo) and the Monasterio bar (Espoz y Mina 11).