Pamplona Bull Injuries
Chaotic Pamplona Bull Run Leaves One Gored and Twelve Others Injured
A runner was pierced by a bull's horn in the face and 12 others were hurt during a wild fifth running of the bulls at Spain's San Fermin festival in Pamplona, according to KOAT and Daily Mail. The chaotic two-and-a-half-minute run sent six bulls and accompanying steers crashing through crowds of thrill-seekers on the festival's narrow street course.
The run took place on the historic course from the holding pens to the bullring, where the same bulls will face matadors later in the day. This year's festival carries extra significance — it marks 100 years since Ernest Hemingway published 'The Sun Also Rises,' the novel that made San Fermin world-famous, WMTW reported.
One Runner Gored as Bulls Charge Through Crowds
The most serious injury came when a bull's horn struck a runner directly in the face. Twelve more participants needed medical treatment for various injuries, 4029tv reported. The six bulls, joined by steers used to guide them, knocked down multiple runners as they barreled through the packed street.
The run lasted roughly two and a half minutes, KCCI reported. That short window is enough for serious harm. Runners wear white clothes with red scarves and race just ahead of the bulls along an 875-meter (about half a mile) course through the old city.
What Makes San Fermin's Bull Run So Dangerous
The San Fermin festival runs every July in Pamplona, drawing thousands of runners from around the world. Participants try to sprint ahead of the bulls without getting trampled or gored. The narrow cobblestone streets give runners little room to escape if a bull changes direction, KOCO reported.
Gorings happen almost every year. Since records began in 1910, at least 16 people have been killed during the runs. A goring to the face is among the most serious outcomes, as a horn can cause deep puncture wounds and threaten eyesight or vital structures, according to WBALTV.
Hemingway Centennial Draws Extra Attention to Festival
This year's San Fermin festival is drawing more attention than usual. It marks exactly 100 years since Hemingway's 1926 novel 'The Sun Also Rises' was published. That book put Pamplona on the global map, describing the bull runs and the festival's wild atmosphere in vivid detail, WISN reported.
Hemingway himself attended the festival multiple times. His writing turned a regional Spanish tradition into an international event that now attracts participants and spectators from dozens of countries every July, according to WMUR.
Bulls Head to the Ring After the Morning Run
The morning run is not the end for the bulls. After charging through the streets to the bullring, the same animals face professional bullfighters in afternoon corridas, where they are killed as part of the traditional spectacle, KSBW reported. Animal rights groups protest the festival each year over this practice.
The fifth run — where today's goring happened — is one of eight scheduled runs during the festival. Each run uses a different set of six bulls. The festival continues through July 14, with more runs, music, and celebrations filling the days in between, according to KMBC.
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