The sixth running of the bulls at San Fermín 2026 turned tense on Sunday morning when a solitary La Palmosilla bull charged into a group of runners near the entrance to Pamplona’s bullring. One runner was gored in the elbow, and eight others suffered contusions. In the crowded alleyway just before the plaza, the bull broke away from the herd, swept along the left-side barriers and collided with several participants. Emergency medical staff treated the gored runner in the bullring’s infirmary, while others received care for injuries to the head and face, as well as the legs, feet and shoulders.
This year’s encierro featured Cádiz-based La Palmosilla bulls for the sixth time, with the animals known for their speed and generally calm behavior. Despite the large number of runners typical of a weekend event, the bulls completed the 845-meter course in two minutes and 23 seconds, nearly a minute faster than last year. Organizers said the bulls’ natural temperament likely prevented a higher injury count, even as dense crowds increased the risk of falls and collisions, especially along Estafeta Street.
The first half of the run gave both bulls and runners more space, but the situation deteriorated as the herd fragmented midway through Estafeta. A surge in participants led to more frequent falls and minor pile-ups on the cobblestones. Two reddish bulls led the group through the Telefónica section, while others scattered and weaved through tightly packed runners on both sides of the route. The cabestros, particularly the largest among them, helped guide the herd. But the pack broke apart when one bull surged ahead at Mercaderes, taking the lead into the Estafeta curve and triggering a series of stumbles and trampling incidents.
By the final stretch, the herd had fully dispersed. Two bulls accompanied by a pair of cabestros entered the bullring first. Another bull swept along the right-side barriers, knocking down several runners, while the bull responsible for the goring moved along the left. A reddish bull and three lagging cabestros were the last to enter the arena. Despite the disruption in the latter half of the course, the total time of two minutes and 23 seconds was impressive.
The bulls scheduled to appear in the afternoon corrida are Cortijero (575 kg), Jubiloso (580 kg), Zorzal (565 kg), Sombrerito (575 kg), Cantarillo (555 kg) and Mirlo Blando (585 kg). The matadors are Fortes, Fernando Adrián and Samuel Navalón. The medical report also confirmed that three runners injured in previous encierros remain hospitalized. One, a 30-year-old from Alicante, is in intensive care after suffering a serious goring and jaw fractures on Mercaderes Street. Another, a 65-year-old from Castro del Río, Córdoba, is being treated for bilateral pneumothorax after a traumatic injury on Friday. A 63-year-old from Zizur Mayor is recovering from a fractured left hip sustained in a fall on Santo Domingo.
This year’s San Fermín festival has featured a series of high-speed, high-risk runs, keeping medical teams on constant alert. Experienced bulls and dense crowds continue to test runners and organizers. A previous run with La Palmosilla bulls also resulted in multiple injuries and raised ongoing safety concerns, as detailed in this recent report on another fast San Fermín encierro.
San Fermín’s encierros are among Spain’s best-known events, drawing thousands of participants and spectators each July. Their mix of tradition, adrenaline and risk has drawn the attention of local authorities and emergency services, which prepare extensively for each run. Pamplona’s medical infrastructure is reinforced during the festival, with additional staff and resources assigned to handle the expected surge in injuries. Many incidents involve contusions or sprains, but gorings and fractures remain persistent hazards, especially when bulls become separated from the herd. Organizers continue to face the challenge of balancing the festival’s historic appeal with safety protocols as crowd sizes fluctuate on weekends and public holidays.
