Watch – Day five of the Running of the Bulls
A reasonably clean and fast run in Pamplona today, with animals from the Jandilla stockbreeder
The veteran experience of the bulls from the Jandilla stockbreeder was clear for all to see on Monday morning. The animals have just completed their 17th Running of the Bulls at San Fermín, and the herd of fighting bulls managed to stay together until the Telefónica section, toward the end of the course, flanked by the tame bullocks and surrounded by the multitude of runners that was geeing them along.
But everything has a limit, and the stress of the race and the slippery cobblestoned streets of the city of Pamplona saw two bulls come crashing down to the ground, just as they were about to enter the corridor leading into the bullring, their final destination.
And when a bull falls down, it’s not easy for it to recover. There were a few scares along the way, but in the end no one was injured in the laborious process of getting the animals back upright.
But the incidents did not end there. In the entrance to the bullring, another bull encountered a pile of runners on the ground, and also lost its footing, taking a long time to get back on his hooves, thanks to the help of a few brave runners.
By the time all the animals had made their way into the corral in the bullring, a total of three-and-a-half minutes had passed.
Early reports suggested two injuries with cuts and bruises, with a chance of more given the high number of falls seen on the 875 meters of the route.
The start of the run saw the bullocks take the lead on Santo Domingo, until a colored bull overtook them and plowed into the large numbers of people who were awaiting the arrival of the animals. The speed was ramped up, and the leading bull took advantage of his lead to give an unlucky runner what looked like the first goring of the morning.
By the time they got into Mercaderes, two chestnut colored Bulls were leading, arriving together in the Estafeta bend, where the anti-slip coating on the cobblestones once again did its job, and stopped them from falling.
But once back on the straight the runners began to fall and many were trampled.
By the end of the run the animals had clearly tired, which was when the multiple falls of the animals were seen.
But all of the herd made it to the corral, and seemingly, with less danger than in previous years. After all, the animals from this stockbreeder had sent as many as 30 runners to the hospital before today… Hardly any…