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For many Spaniards, toreo (the art of bullfighting) is a noble part of the heritage. Just the mere fact of talking about banning bullfighting is an assault on the essence of their being. However, bullfighting today is often debased by practices designed to disadvantage the bull. For instance, the bull may have his horns shaved in order the make them blunt, so perhaps he will not puncture the matador during the fight. .
Another thing that you may think of when Spain or Mexico is mentioned would be the running of the bulls. This began during the festival (San Fermin) when the bulls being used in the bullfights were "run" by ranchers, the day of their fight. The bulls were run from their enclosures through the streets of the city and into the pens within the bullring or "Plaza de Toros". This event normally takes place between the 6th or 14th of July. .
This event became popular when the locals decided that they too were going to run along the streets with the bulls. From this, the more daring challenge of running IN FRONT of the bulls took off. I personally find them all crazy! But since 1852, the route from Santa Domingo Street, through the Plaza Consistorial, and along Estafeta Street via the dangerously twisting Mercaderes Street has remained unchanged. This act of "running with the bulls" is by no means an easy task. As time progresses, the number of injuries and deaths increase. The last mortality was in 1995 when a young American was dramatically killed on the horns of a bull. Serious injuries are all on the increase, often because someone falls and then is stabbed from a horn. On these occasions lives were saved purely by the efficiency of the local ambulance service. This is an incredible spectacle and the people run on, undeterred. .
The run itself is about a half of a mile long and travels through cobbled, narrow streets marked only by a tall, sturdy, double-lined fence. The gap between the fences is strictly for police, medical teams, and runners who need to make a quick escape.