Two Aussies gored in Running of the Bulls festival in Spain

Australian Associated Press
Updated

Two Australians and a Spaniard have been gored by a bull that broke from the pack during the final bull run of this year's San Fermin festival, health officials from the northern Spanish city of Pamplona say.

While five of the bulls stayed in a group on Sunday and charged through the twisting streets with their guiding steers, one bull drifted back and provoked havoc in the crowds of runners.

The bull flipped one man over its horns and slammed him onto the cobblestone street. It then clipped another two runners who were trapped against a wall.

Regional hospital spokesman Tomas Belzunegui said the man who had been tossed by the chocolate-coloured bull named Rabanero was gored in the leg, while another man was gored in the right arm and a third in the armpit.

The hospital said the wounds were not life-threatening.

epa07715813 A 'mozo', is caught by the horn of a bull of Miura ranch during the last 'encierro,' or running-with-the-bulls, of the Sanfermines festivities in Pamplona, Spain, 14 July 2019. The festival of San Fermin, locally known as Sanfermines, is held annually from 06 to 14 July in commemoration of the city's patron saint. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world attend the fiesta. Many of them physically participate in the highlight event - the running of the bulls, or encierro - where they attempt to outrun the bulls along a route through the narrow streets of Pamplona's old city. EPA/Daniel Fernandez
A runner is caught by the horn of a bull of Miura ranch during the last running-with-the-bulls of the Sanfermines festivities. It is not known if he was among those injured. Source: AAP

That took the number of gorings to eight for the eight bull runs that provide a high-adrenaline morning rush to the non-stop party that draws around one million people each year.

The Red Cross reported several other injuries from knocks received from the bulls and steers, or from runners tumbling out of the way.

The previous seven bull runs had produced five gorings of three Spaniards and two Americans.

The six bulls involved in the 850-metre run to the bull ring will be killed at the ring later on Sunday.

epa07713761 Several 'mozos', or runners, are chased by bulls of La Palmosilla ranch during the seventh 'encierro,' or running-with-the-bulls, of the Sanfermines festivities in Pamplona, Spain, 13 July 2019. The festival of San Fermin, locally known as Sanfermines, is held annually from 06 to 14 July in commemoration of the city's patron saint. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world attend the fiesta. Many of them physically participate in the highlight event - the running of the bulls, or encierro - where they attempt to outrun the bulls along a route through the narrow streets of Pamplona's old city. EPA/Villar Lopez
Runners are chased by bulls of La Palmosilla ranch during the seventh running-with-the-bulls of the Sanfermines festivities. Source: AAP

The San Fermin fiesta was made famous internationally by Ernest Hemingway in his 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises”.

Sixteen people have died in the bull runs since 1910. The last death occurred in 2009.

Animal rights protesters have also become a fixture in Pamplona during the festival.

On the eve of this year's event, dozens of semi-naked activists staged a performance simulating speared bulls lying dead on Pamplona's streets to draw attention to what they see as animal cruelty for the sake of entertainment.

Bullfights are protected under the Spanish Constitution as part of the country's cultural heritage.

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