Photography: Ignacio Rubio
After an absence of one year from the Pamplona running of the bulls, the Torrestrella bull-ranch returned this year to feature in a very exciting bullrunning.
The first half of today's running did not see the bulls separate but rather they kept in tight formation alongside the bell-oxen, which is not very usual behavior from this particular bull-breed. Half-way up Estafeta Street, the pack split in two, as the bulls steamrolled along, knocking a lot of runners to the ground. At the final stretch leading into the bullring, the bulls were running more in single file which made it possible for the runners to get close to the horns. One bull got separated from the others and was a straggler entering the Telefónica stretch. It threatened to turn round a few times and charged against the fencing. But some experienced runners skillfully led the bull into the arena without any serious mishaps taking place.
While these Torrestrella bulls have habitually created danger for the runners, today this was not the case and, except for knocking over runners all along the course and creating some frights, only two runners needed to be taken off for hospital treatment for a head traumatism. One of them is from New Jersey.