A MAN has been gored by a 1,260lb beast at the notorious Pamplona bull run festival as eight others were injured in the stampede.
The injuries are the latest to hit the northern Spanish region, with almost 300 incidents recorded each year from the death-defying event.
After little more than two minutes, six men were rushed to hospital when two bulls became detached from the rest of the group.
One man, who was gored under his armpit, remains under observation.
“At this time, he is under observation but is in stable condition,” a medic confirmed.
Up to 4,000 runners take part in each bull run, which takes place over almost 850 metres and can last up to four minutes.
One of the bulls, Zalagarda, is this year’s heaviest beast and weighs a staggering 610kg – or 96 stone.
The run was the first of nine and followed a bustling opening ceremony in the northern Spanish town.
During the Chupinazo festivities, thousands of participants, clad in traditional red and white attire, gather to drink sangria in celebration of the beginning of the San Fermin festival.
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Some 16 people have been killed at the annual festival, which was made famous by the 1926 Ernest Hemingway novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’.
Several foreigners, from Australians to Americans through to Brits and Irish, are normally among the injured.
The most recent fatality at the Pamplona festival occurred in 2009 when a 27-year-old man named Daniel Jimeno from Madrid was fatally gored in the neck by a bull named Capuchino.
Elsewhere, a man was gored to death during a bull-running festival in El Casar, Spain.
The local council described his death as “an unfortunate accident,” while animal rights activists criticized the event, labeling it a misuse of the town’s resources and “traumatic” for children.
The 20-year-old was gored in a bullring at the countryside festival and sustained injuries to his lung.
The unnamed victim later died on Monday at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid.
What is the Pamplona bull run?
The historical event is thought to have started in 1591 when apprentice butchers would shepherd the animals up to the bullring.
The festival is held on July 7 to July 14 in Pamplona, Spain each year.
Six Spanish fighting bulls, along with six steer, run from the Corrales de Santo Domingo to Pamplona’s Plaza de Toros bullfight arena.
Over a million spectators attend to watch thousands of runners take part over the 8 days of the San Fermín Festival.
The runs usually take between two to three minutes to complete. Participation is free and open to anyone over the age of 18.
There is a strong police presence at the event to avoid any injuries and prevent anyone who is drunk from participating in the dangerous event.
While the length of the course is just 875 metres long, it is virtually impossible for any runner to complete the length of it due to the number of participants and speed of the bulls.
That same year, another man, 51, died in a bull run event held in nearby Mesones when he slipped on a fence while trying to escape from the bulls.
The Animal Defence Association of El Casar hit out against the events.
A spokesman said: “Beyond the legal issues, these incidents generate expenses and consequences that affect all citizens, even those who oppose these events.
“The pain for this new victim is deep and part of our fight consists of preventing tragedies like this from continuing to occur.”
The association added: “Is this the best way to invest our resources and enjoy our leisure time?
“This kind of event not only puts people and animals at risk but also exposes children to traumatic situations that can shape their perception of the world.
“The well-being of people and respect for animals must be priorities in modern society and it is our responsibility to rethink whether these events reflect the values we want to promote.”
The campaigners are pressing for “safer, more educational entertainment that encourages the healthy enjoyment of free time, without risk to the physical or moral integrity of our community.”
