San Fermin bulls in Pamplona are baited with Americans

USPA NEWS - San Fermin in Pamplona, in northern Spain, is a holiday of international tourist interest. Especially their bull runnings are known, when the bulls that evening will be fought in the square take to the streets en route to the corral.

In that running, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people, locals and tourists, run in front of bulls trying not to be caught. For a wounded bull horn is usually serious and it would not be the first time someone dies gored. Pamplona City Council puts all security measures at its disposal, which are many after decades of experience. But that does not stop every morning wounded and bruised register because of the danger of bulls must be added the risk of running among a mass of people more career obstacles that help direct it.

That's all part of the beauty of the San Fermin holidays. Hemingway himself fell in love with these celebrations, which began on Monday, July 6 and Tuesday, the feast of San Fermin, celebrate their big day. They will last twelve days and every morning on time to their appointment, the bulls will be fought in the evening on the square will come out of their pens on the outskirts of the city and roam the streets of Pamplona bullring road. They are heirs to a tradition dating back to the Middle Age, when the cows were waiting outside the city the days leading up to the market and were led by pastors to the pens installed in the streets of Pamplona, where they were exhibited and sold.

That custom was integrated into the holidays and raised the adrenaline level of the young men, Pamplona and foreign, who dressed in white with red scarf and sash encourage and accompany bulls in his career to the square. It's what made Tuesday bulls Jandilla, a herd that usually give athletic, fast and dangerous bulls. Tuesday also repeated one of the bulls. Last year was scheduled to be dealt in Pamplona, but a fight with another bull prevented participate in confinement and was fought in the square. Livestock was returned and on Tuesday he returned to Pamplona.

The Jandilla did honor to his fame. The first closure was massive, with exaggerated participation of brokers, who in many instances impossible to see the bulls. And the cows took the opportunity to create danger. Three people were injured from gorings and another eight were treated for bruises. Among them, five were Americans. Fortunately, none is serious and will continue to enjoy the Sanfermines as doctors give them discharge.

The MWO, 38, American was injured from gorings in the armpit, but the horn did not penetrate the chest cavity. His condition is less serious. The BMD Californian, 27, has a superficial wound from gorings. For its part, the neighbor of Arizona RHO, 35, suffered a facial injury less serious prognosis. The young American MZO, 21, suffered a facial contusion, and fellow American FSO, 34, was hospitalized with multiple contusions. In addition, the British ABO, 30, has a bull horn wound in the perineum and its prognosis is guarded, and five other Spaniards were attended by several bruises.

Professional riders complain about the danger posed by unusual tourists and weekend visitors who come to Pamplona without knowing the techniques to run with the bulls. They want to experience the adrenaline rush that causes being a few centimeters from the horns of an animal that can weigh 700 kilos. But his inexperience endangers other riders. And when the bulls decide to send riders to the hospital, almost always they have the upper hand.