SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 12TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

At the end of Estafeta Street, and while one of the veteran runners was going through a sticky moment in front of a bull, another runner, with number 16 on his back and holding a rolled-up newspaper, had to contend with one of the Conde de la Maza bulls, which seemed determined to give him a kiss on his back, at any price.

The runner had made a good correct run but he found himself confronted with a mini-pile-up just beside the fencing which prevented him from moving forward. The advancing bull – showing no malice, no desire to charge and certainly no wish to gore the runner – only bluntly rubbed his snout against the back of the runner. No doubt the runner felt the breath of the animal because he even had his shirt pulled up.

There was nobody injured, no blood and no love. Just a kiss. Or a sloppy lick.

Photos: José Antonio Pérez

VER TODAS LAS FOTOS Y EL VIDEO DEL ENCIERRO DEL 12 DE JULIO

El sexto encierro de los Conde de la Maza ha sido rápido, limpio y ha posibilitado emocionantes carreras por parte de los corredores, aunque bien es cierto que ha habido bastantes caídas.

Ya en Santo Domingo los toros de Conde de la Maza han subido la cuesta con rapidez y haciendo amago de embestir a los corredores en modo de aviso. La manada no ha corrido hermanada, ya que tres toros junto con un cabestro se han adelantado y separado y han encabezado un encierro donde los corredores han podido lucirse con carreras muy bonitas, a pesar de que uno de los mansos ha arrollado a varios corredores a su paso por Estafeta.

El parte de heridos confirma que, de momento, solo han registrado una contusión por deformidad en el tramo del Ayuntamiento.

Foto: Javier Mutilva

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 11TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

At today’s Running of the Bulls, there were four gorings from the horns of the bulls. But it could easily have been five, as one runner was caught completely by surprise, just at the corner of Mercaderes. The runner was at the mercy of one of the José Escolar bulls, as the bull enclosed him between his large horns, but miraculously it failed to gore the runner.

Continue reading…

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 11TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

A rather weird and dramatic running of the bulls, with at least 4 runners gored by the horns of the bulls and also rather unique in that one bull after leaving the pens, turned back half-way the Santo Domingo slope, managed to re-enter the pens and in the end, it was taken to the Gas Pens an hour later and from there to the bullring.

Continue reading…

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 11TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

This morning’s Running of the Bulls, with the José Escolar bull-ranch, will go down in the recent history of this event because of the bull that came out of the pen with its siblings, but after running a few hundred meters up the Santo Domingo slope, it decided to turn back round and it ran back to the pens where, surprisingly, the gates still remained opened. This bull remained in the pens and took no further part in the Running of the Bulls, which was completed by the five other bulls.

Continue reading…

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 10TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

The bad thing about Sanfermin fiestas is that they only last for 9 days in all and the runners in the Running of the Bulls only have 8 events in all to get their fill of running in front of the bulls and to satisfy their longings for another while. Because when it is all over they must endure a long wait until the next 7^th of July comes along next year. So, when you take the trouble to take part in the running, you have got to make the most of the opportunity.

And with this anxiety to experience a good running, and not to miss a chance to get close to the horns, you sometimes do not realize that there are other runners too, who have the very same idea as you. Thus, there are times during the event when you can see out-and-out “fights” to get into the best position in front of the bull: runners struggling and pulling, shoving and pushing, elbowing their way to the front… all common occurrences in the Pamplona Running of the Bulls. In today’s event, the most striking thing was to see – not two or even three runners – but five of them all at the same time trying to elbow their way into the best position as they ran down into the entrance to the bullring, struggling to get the best place in front of the horns.

As soon as the bulls pass, these runners pull apart and each one goes their own way. But, as most runners usually run the same stretch each day, no doubt tomorrow will see these same five runners in yet another enduring tussle for the best position. And, no doubt, once again they will walk quietly away when the excitement has passed.

Photos: Maite H. Mateo

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 10TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

The horns of the fighting bull can kill. We know this if only because down the years, there have been more than a dozen deaths in the Pamplona Running of the Bulls. But it is much more usual for the horns of the bull to cause an injury, perhaps to open a 20-centimeter hole in the body, maybe to slice through a vein, possibly to ravage some vital organ or rip apart the guts or some other internal part of the body and to leave a victim with a long stay in hospital.

Continue reading…

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS AND THE VIDEO OF THE 10TH OF JULY RUNNING OF THE BULLS

This eleventh participation in the Running of the Bulls made by the Fuente Ymbro bull-ranch proved to be fast and clean. As the pack moved up the Santo Domingo slope, one of the bulls charged to the front alongside two of the steers. Soon there were two small groups formed, even in this first stretch of the run. Having reached Estafeta, this same bull who had lead the pack from the beginning of Santo Domingo, slipped up and brought down a runner at the same time. Several of the Fuente Ymbro bulls and the steers coming behind also knocked and bruised this same runner as he lay on the ground.

Continue reading…