Fugado causes the first scares

Three runners gored in a bullrunning which featured a loose bull that caused panic at Telefonica stretch

Photography: Juantxo Erce

A thrilling and dangerous running of the bulls featuring the fearful Cebada Gago bull-breed. One of the bulls with the name of "Fugado" was the main protagonist of the running, after slipping up at the beginning of the first stretch in Santo Domingo. This bull was a straggler for the remainder of the run and it created the moments of greatest tension along the different stretches of the course, especially at the Telefónica stretch where this bull turned back several times and made one alarming charge against a crowd of runners gathered against the fencing. It seems that at least two runner were gored by the bull.

The pack came racing out of the pens at Santo Domingo in a tight group, but very quickly the pack began to loosen up and separate. A brown-colored bull raced ahead of the others and lead them for the rest of the distance to the bullring. A black bull had slipped and fallen at the beginning of the first stretch in Santo Domingo and it was left behind and alone for the rest of the course. This bull created moments of intense danger and tension as it tried to charge the runners and gore them as it ran alone over the different stretches of the course. Meanwhile, the rest of the pack continued to race ahead at a very fast pace and, in spite of the fact that there were less runners today than during the weekend, the runners struggled to find space in front of the horns. But in Estafeta Street some fine running could be appreciated by some of the runners as they found room to get in front of the horns.

At the Telefónica stretch some moments of real panic were caused by the straggling black bull bringing up the rear. This bull turned back several times and charged against runners gathered beside the fencing. With the aid of some experienced runners and a few of the bull-minders with their rods, the bull was finally encouraged to continue its run into the bullring and after a time of 3min. 37sec. this bull finally entered the pens behind its other companions.