NEWS
NEWS

Second Running of San Fermín | Cebada Gago's bulls return to the 80s and spread panic in Pamplona, with a loose bull in a running that exceeded five minutes

Updated

During San Fermín, much can be said about Asirón, the always controversial chupinazo, Gaza, or churros. But one thing is certain: when the bulls hit the streets, everything else becomes secondary, at least for a few minutes

Revelers run with bulls from Cebada Gago ranch during the second day of the running of the bulls at the San Fermín fiestas in Pamplona, Spain.
Revelers run with bulls from Cebada Gago ranch during the second day of the running of the bulls at the San Fermín fiestas in Pamplona, Spain.AP

That's how it was on July 8th: Cebada Gago's bulls took the Delorean and transported us back to the past, to the 80s, when it was common to have loose animals in the encierros, where runners suddenly found themselves face to face with them in a narrow funnel without shelter. The perfect scenario for any nightmare. That's how this run was, with much to tell.

The protagonist was the last Cebada Gago bull, with a black cape, which had been falling behind since the beginning of the encierro and ended up alone in the final stretch of Estafeta street. Finding itself alone, it began to explore what was on both sides of the street, up and down, and charged, knocked down runners, and had some good runs in search of prey, instilling terror among the less experienced, those who are practically in this stretch just to see the herd pass by. A bad day to quit smoking.

Because Caminante, as this Cebada Gago bull is called, was checking IDs of those in front, glancing at doorways, windows, and tossing more than one runner into the air. Fortunately, it all ended with only one person injured by a bull horn in the Espoz y Mina stretch, according to the provisional report.

The race started with a lot of intensity from the first meters. The steers took a significant lead and left space behind for the bulls, who looked to their sides and, realizing there were people, charged at high speed, especially on the left side of the route. At that pace, any horn thrust would be a sure goring.

In this first stretch, there were several stumbles by the animals (is it just a coincidence from yesterday and today or will it be a trend this year?), gradually dispersing the herd, with the chestnut bull in the lead, several meters ahead of four other well-supported cebadas, and a dun closing the group.

It seemed like the race was calming down, with the possibility of catching the bull at the Town Hall and Mercaderes, at a fast pace but not impossible to follow.

At the entrance to Estafeta, the chestnut bull dragged a runner who had opened up too much in the curve, without goring him, just pushing him along.

Many bulls for the runners from this point on, many gaps to enter and exit, with the configuration of one bull in front, four with the steers, and Caminante making its way alone behind. It wasn't easy, there were pile-ups both in Estafeta and in the alley leading to the bullring, but it was one of those encierros where runners usually come out satisfied.

Until Caminante decided to slow down and started causing trouble.