Running of the Bulls: A Tradition of Cruelty are quite sharp, and the animals often lose their footing and slide into walls, breaking bones and injuring themselves. All the bulls who slip and slide on the streets of Pamplona are running towards a bloody and horrific death in the bullring. Each year, more than 40,000 bulls are barbarically slaughtered in Spain’s bullrings. Most foreign visitors who witness a bullfight never wish to see one The magnificent animals who slip and slide on the streets of Pamplona during the again. They are repulsed, disgusted and saddened by the cruelty of the spectacle. “Running of the Bulls” are later barbarically killed – all in the name of At best, the term “bullfighting” is a “tradition”. Torturing and killing a misnomer, as there is usually little defenceless animal should not be competition between a nimble sword- celebrated as tradition. People have always wielding matador (Spanish for “killer”) and tried to use tradition to justify horrible a confused, maimed, psychologically things, such as child labour and slavery. But tormented and physically debilitated bull. tradition doesn’t make something right. Bullfighting is a cruel blood sport that One of the biggest supporters of should have been relegated to the history bullfighting is the tourist industry. Travel books a long time ago. No matter what its agents and bullfight promoters portray the history is, bullfighting consists of the fight as a festive and fair competition. torture, mutilation and slaughter of What they do not reveal is that the bull animals for entertainment. never has a chance to defend himself, much less to survive. The ‘Running of the Bulls’ Bulls are intentionally debilitated by Bulls are bred in fields and are not various means, such as having sandbags accustomed to the noise of the crowd or dropped on their backs. Drugging is also being surrounded by people. They are kept very common. A study conducted by in crowded, dark enclosures, and when scientists at Spain’s Salamanca University they are prodded onto the streets with found that 20 per cent of the bulls used for electric shocks, they are momentarily fighting are drugged before they step into blinded by the sunlight. They are terrified the ring. In a sampling of 200 bulls, one in and are hit by runners with rolled up five had been given anti-inflammatory newspapers. The corners of the bulls’ route drugs, which mask injuries that could sap another bull enters the arena and the animals’ strength. sadistic cycle starts again. In a typical bullfight, the bull enters the It is a very cowardly event. The matador arena and is approached by picadors – men has the choice to be there – the bull does on blindfolded horses who drive lances into not. From the moment he enters the ring the bull’s back and neck muscles. This from the dark alleyway where he is kept, impairs the bull’s ability to lift his head. the bull doesn’t stand a chance. He may be They twist and gouge the lances to ensure a weakened by beatings with sandbags, have significant amount of blood loss. Then the muscles in his neck cut in order to banderilleros enter on foot and proceed to prevent him from lifting his head up all the distract the bull and dart around him while way, be debilitated with laxatives, have his plunging banderillas – bright sticks with horns shaved or have petroleum jelly harpoon points on their ends – into his rubbed into his eyes in order to alter his back. When the bull has become weakened ability to judge distance. from blood loss, the banderilleros run the bull in more circles until he is dizzy and Opposition to Bullfighting Opposition to stops chasing. Finally, the matador appears bullfighting is mounting both in Spain and and, after provoking a few exhausted elsewhere. In April 2004, the Barcelona charges from the dying animal, tries to kill City Council declared Barcelona an anti- the bull with his sword. If he misses, bullfighting city in an effort to eventually succeeding only in further mutilating the ban this primitive blood sport. Since then, animal, an executioner is called in to stab 38 other Catalan municipalities have the exhausted and submissive animal to followed suit and the Catalonian death. The dagger is supposed to cut the Parliament has debated a bill that would animal’s spinal cord, but even this can be expand existing cruelty-to-animals laws to blundered, leaving the bull conscious but include bullfighting. According to a Gallup paralysed as he is chained by his horns and survey in October 2006, 72 per cent of dragged out of the arena.8 Spaniards show no interest in bullfights, up from 54 per cent in the ’80s. If Spain wants If the crowd is happy with the matador, the to increase tourism and be a progressive bull’s ears and tail are cut off and country, it needs to catch up with the presented as a trophy. A few minutes later, times and stop killing animals for entertainment. Pamplona Bull Run (San Fermin) History of the Pamplona Bull Run The festival of San Fermin, or the Pamplona bull running as it's more commonly known outside Spain officially begins at midday on 6th July every year 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 history of the bullrunning in Pamplona is not clear. There is evidence of the festival from as far back as the 13th century when it seems the events took place in October as this coincided with the festival of San Fermin on October 10th. It seems that the modern day celebration has evolved from this as well as individual commercial and bullfighting fiestas which can be traced back to the 14th century. Over many years the mainly religious festival of San Fermin was diluted by music, dancing, bullfights and markets such that the Pamplona Council proposed that the whole event be moved to July 7th when the weather is far more conducive to such a celebration. To this day San Fermin remains a fixed date every year with the first bullrun at 8am on July 7th and the last at the same time on July 14th. 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 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 a double security wall as is the case 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 to this annual festival. 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 many months in advance. The Bull Run The Pamplona bull run takes place at 8am every morning from 7th to 14th July. Runners must be in the running area by 7.30am. 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. The length of the run is 825 metres and the average time of the run from start to finish is about three minutes. The streets through the old town which make up the bull run are walled off so the bulls can't escape. Each day six fighting bulls run the route as well as two herds of bullocks. The tension builds as the release of the bulls approaches and at 8am on the dot a rocket is fired to confirm that the gate has been opened at the Santo Domingo corral. Runners dressed in white with a red hankerchief around their necks pray to San Fermin then a second rocket announces that the bulls have left. The bulls and the runners then proceed along the route. Watching the Bull Run You can stand behind the fences that mark the route of the bullrun but you need to arrive by around 6.30am to get the best spots on the top of the fence directly overlooking the run. Another good spot is in front of the museum on c/ Santo Domingo where there isn't a fence but the best spots here are usually taken before 6am leaving you with a cold two hour wait before the run starts. A great alternative is to get yourself onto a balcony overlooking the bullrun. You might be lucky enough to meet someone who invites you onto their terrace, alternatively, ask in the tourist information office (c/ Esclava, 1). Your only other options are to go to the bullring and watch the end as the bulls arrive in the arena or to head for a bar and watch the bull run which is shown live every morning on national TV. Bullfight Tickets Tickets for the bullfights are sold out well in advance as the arena only holds 12,500 people. Every evening after the day's bullfight some tickets go on sale for the next evening's event at the 'taquillas' at the bull ring. You'll usually find ticket touts operating around the Plaza de Toros during the day and before the bullfight selling at elevated prices.