PAMPLONA BULL RUN

THE FIESTAS OF SAN FERMIN

• celebrated in Irunea/Pamplona, in the region of Navarra, every year from the 6th to the 14th of July.
• They have become internationally known because of the running of the bulls
• where the bulls are lead through the streets of the old quarter as far as the bull ring by runners.
• The fiestas are celebrated in honor of San Fermin, patron saint of Navarra
• Nowadays, the fiestas are seen as a day for fun , joy and party

The Encierro ... The Running of the Bulls

• The Encierro is the event at the heart of the Sanfermines
• It was born from need: getting the bulls from outside the city into the bullring.
• The encierro takes place from July 7th to 14th and starts at the corral in Calle Santo Domingo
• It start at 8 am , then there will be two rocket launching from the bull ring
• After the launching of two rockets, the bulls charge behind the runners for 825 metres .

Rockets in the bullring

• The third rocket, fired from the bullring, signals that all the bulls have entered the bullring.
• A fourth and final rocket indicates that all the bulls are safely , and that the bull run has ended.

THE PASTORES

• A large number of pastores (bull "shepherds") cover the entire bull run.
• They place themselves behind the bulls,their only protection being a long stick.
• Their main role is to stop the odd idiot from inciting the bulls from behind,
• to avoid the bulls turning round and running backwards
• and to help any bulls that have stopped or have been separated from their companions to continue running towards the bullring.

The dobladores

• key people in the bull run are the dobladores, people with good bullfighting knowledge (sometimes ex-bullfighters)
• who take up position in the bullring with capes to help the runners "fan out"
• and "drag" the bulls towards the corral as quickly as possible.

The two groups of mansos

• The six fighting bulls that will take part in the run as a guides to help cover the road
• a second group of bullocks are let out to lead any bulls that might have left behind in the bull run towards the bullring.

People under 18 years of age, who must not run or participate.