The second encierro of San Fermín 2026 brought a tense morning to Pamplona as the Cebada Gago bulls charged through the city’s historic streets. The herd stayed tightly grouped over the 800-meter course, moving at a relentless pace. One participant was gored in the arm, while two others needed medical attention, a reminder of the risks at the festival’s best-known event. El Caso also reported a horn injury during the run.
From the start at Santo Domingo, the bulls showed flashes of independence, with one animal briefly breaking away on the right. The cabestros, experienced steers that accompany the bulls, kept the group largely together. Near the Mercaderes curve, two runners jostled for position and fell. The lead changed hands several times, with the bull Carbonero briefly taking the front, but the herd rarely opened impressive gaps for runners to exploit.
Approaching the Telefónica stretch, several bulls slipped, and the last in the group fell behind after losing its footing. A sudden burst of speed let it rejoin the others, but it knocked down a runner first. The run was a near-continuous sprint, with little room for error. Some animals stumbled as they entered the bullring, where the cabestros and arena staff regrouped the herd and guided it into the pens.
Medical services reported three injuries: an arm goring on Telefónica, a contusion with deformity, and a bleeding wound from a fall inside the bullring. One person was transferred to hospital. At the day’s bullfight, David Galván and Román were joined by Manuel Diosleguarde to face the same Cebada Gago bulls that had run through Pamplona earlier. The injuries and medical teams’ response showed the risks managed during the festival’s daily encierros.
The Cebada Gago run followed an opening 2026 encierro by Fuente Ymbro bulls that El Caso described as fast and clean, with no horn injuries. San Fermín’s encierros remain a defining spectacle of the Spanish summer, drawing thousands to Pamplona each July. With 35 appearances, the Cebada Gago herd is among the festival’s most storied. Other Spanish cities have faced public safety challenges during major events, including when Barcelona evacuated four buildings after a large sinkhole appeared, a reminder of the need for a rapid emergency response at high-profile gatherings.
San Fermín’s medical teams and established response procedures help manage the dangers inherent to the encierro. As the festival continues, attention remains on Pamplona’s streets, where each morning brings new tests for runners and emergency crews, as well as the bulls.
