Spanish Learning Centre Blackpool

History

Spanish lore says the true origin of bull running began in North-Eastern Spain during the early 14th century. When transporting their cattle to market men would attempt to speed up the process by using fear and excitement to hurry the cattle along. Through time this practice began to turn into a competition as young men would attempt to race in front of the bulls and make it to the safety of the pens without being overtaken. Gradually the popularity of this practice increased and a tradition was created that stands to this day

The history of the bull running in Pamplona is less clear. There is evidence of the festival dating back as far as the 13th century when it appears the events took place in October to coincide with the festival of San Fermin on October 10th. Over many years the mainly religious festival of San Fermin was diluted so much by music, dancing, bullfights and markets that the Pamplona Council proposed that the whole event be moved to July 7th when the weather is far more favourable to such a celebration. To this day San Fermin remains a fixed date every year with the first bull run on July 7th and the last on July 14th.

The joining together of the religious, commercial and bullfighting festivals and the move to July 7th led to the first official celebration of San Fermines in 1591. This inaugural fiesta was a low-key affair in comparison to the modern-day running of the bulls as it only lasted two days.

The first evidence of foreigners turning up in Pamplona for San Fermin are recorded in chronicles from the 17th and 18th centuries when reference is made to the local clergy being concerned about "the abuse of drink and the permisiveness of young men and women". By now there was plenty of music, dancing, drinking, street theatre and bull running as the religious focus of the occasion took a back seat. By the 19th century all kinds of fairground attractions were making their way to Pamplona including human cannonballs and circus animals.

The actual route of the bull run didn't have the security wall that it does today so the bulls were able to escape, creating chaos in the streets of Pamplona. It was thanks to the writing of American writer Ernest Hemingway that San Fermin developed the notoriety of today. The publication of his novel "The Sun Also Rises" in 1926 told the world about the Pamplona bull running festival which attracted people from all over the world. Such is the popularity of the event that overcrowding is a serious problem and if you're planning on staying there then you should book accommodation and transfers many months in advance.

The Bull Run

The festival of San Fermin officially begins at midday on 6th July with the 'chupinazo' which takes place on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona. Thousands of people congregate in the square awaiting the mayor's official announcement that the fiestas have begun, a rocket is launched and the partying begins.

The actual bull runs takes place at 8am every morning from 7th to 14th July. The runners wear traditional dress of white with a red handkerchief around their necks and in one hand they hold the day's newspaper rolled to draw the bulls' attention from them if necessary. The actual run stretches from the corral at Santo Domingo where the bulls are kept, to the bullring where they will fight that same afternoon. It is 825 metres long and the average time of the run from start to finish is around three minutes, with the herd having an average speed of 24km/h. At 8am on the dot a rocket is fired to confirm that the gate has been opened at the Santo Domingo corral, then a second rocket announces that the bulls have left. A third rocket is set off to signify all the bulls have entered the bullring and the fourth, and final, rocket means that the bulls are now in the bullpen and the bull run has finished.

The herd is composed of the six bulls that will be involved in the bull-fight that afternoon, six steers that run with the bulls, and three more steers that leave the corral two minutes after the first group. The route goes through four streets of the old part of the city (Santo Domingo, Town Hall Square, Mercaderes and Estafeta) and a section called Telefnica before entering into the bullring. The fastest part of the route is up Santo Domingo and across the Town Hall Square, but in the past the bulls often became separated at the entrance to Estafeta Street as they slowed down. One or more would slip going into the turn at Estafeta, but, with the use of the new anti-slip surfacing, most of the bulls negotiate the turn onto Estafeta and are often ahead of the steers. This has resulted in a quicker, but not a safer run, as the bulls are usually ahead of the steers as they reach the lane

The vast number of people taking part in the bull run nowadays adds to the already considerable danger of the race. There are plenty of security guards and first aid personnel in attendance but there is little they can do during the running of the bulls and as a result 15 people have died and over 200 been seriously injured since 1924.

In an effort to increase safety a double set of wooden or iron barricades is erected before the running of the race to direct the bulls along the route and to block off side streets. In some parts of the route there is a double row of barricades which allow runners to quickly exit in case of danger. The gaps in the barricades are wide enough for a person to slip through, but narrow enough to block a bull. The fence is composed of around three thousand separate pieces and while some parts are left for the duration of the fiesta others are mounted and dismounted every morning.

How to get there and where to stay

Due to the popularity of the event hotels in Pamplona are very difficult to book at short notice. If you're planning on going for this event then consider booking up to twelve months in advance. An alternative to staying in Pamplona is to stay in a hotel in San Sebastian and make the early morning trip to the bull run from there.

To get to San Sebastian it is easiest to fly to Biarritz Airport (Baboo, Ryan Air, EasyJet and Air France all fly there regularly) and book a transfer to Pamplona.

Despite its dangers (or perhaps because of them!) this unique event has captured the hearts of many people and is considered one of the best festival experiences in Western Europe.