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The first of the eight bull-runs of Sanfermin 2002 turned
out to be a crowded, drawn-out and particularly dangerous
event. Just as had been expected, the number of runners
who participated in the bull-run far exceeded what would
be considered an acceptable number, as this first run
has taken place at the week-end. The over-crowding,
allied to the fact that the ground was particularly
slippery, and the added fact that the bulls from the
Marquès de Domecq have always shown a tendency
to run loose and separated over a large section of the
run , all contributed towards their making continuous
charges against the runners over a large part of the
stretch.
The bull-run started at eight o'clock on the dot
on a fresh sunny morning. As soon as the pens were
opened the herd of animals charged out in a tight
group and ran up the Santo Domingo stretch in tight
order. The bell-oxen headed the group and pulled some
meters ahead of the bulls. As they ascended the sloping
street, the gap widened even more. In the City Hall
square various runners were knocked over by the herd
of wild bulls which started to make some charges as
they came up from the rear.
In Mercaderes several bulls slipped on the wet ground,
thus breaking the unity of the pack. and creating
a new and totally different situation. The bell-oxen
continued to run in front, and behind them the bulls
began to create the first serous moments of danger.
The most hair-raising moment of the run occurred at
the famous corner of Mercaderes and Estafeta street.
One of the bulls which had earlier slipped up took
the corner on the right side and there confronted
a small group of people who were lined against the
right-hand corner wall of Estafeta. The bull charged
into the rigid group of astounded runners and hit
two of them with its horns and slightly gored one
of them.
All along Estafeta street the Domecq bulls made slow
progress with intermittent alarming charges full of
potential danger against the runners on both sides
of the street. One black bull fell awkwardly to the
ground and on getting to its feet made several charges
laden with danger. The deft work of runners hailing
and attracting the attention of the bulls with their
rolled-up newspapers was several times seen in evidence
as the bulls were slowly led up to the Telefònica
stretch.
At Telefónica and down the sloping stretch
leading into the bull ring, the last two bulls made
repeated turns and charges and they created several
highly dangerous moments. Two people received a slight
goring - one runner behind the kneecap and another
person, a girl who it seems had been watching the
run from the fencing, also received a slight goring
behind her knee. The bulls eventually entered the
ring in a solitary and disordered manner, and were
quickly led away to their pens.
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