THE FOURTH RUNNING OF THE BULLS

 This fourth running of the bulls, with bulls from the mythical Miura bull-ranch, the most veteran bull-breed of the Sanfermin fiestas and the most often used on Sundays precisely because this breed traditionally behave well, turned out to be a very fast running of the bulls (2 min.29 sec.) and very exciting. There were lots of trip-ups and falls due to the large number of runners taking part, especially in the final stretches of Estafeta, Telefónica and the entrance down to the bullring.

The pack of bulls ran the whole stretch at a very fast pace with a big black bull leading the field from the end of the first stretch at Santo Domingo. In Mercaderes, some of the bulls slipped up, but they then continued to run head together and at a very fast pace. In Estafeta, in spite of the fact that there was a lot of pushing and shoving, slips-ups and falls, some good running was also to be seen close to the horns as the bulls began to loosen up and form three small groups. This bull-breed once again behaved nobly without shaping up to make charges at the runners.

Three black bulls lead for most of the way followed tightly behind by the bell-oxen, with a brown-colored bull then coming up behind this group. Further back, there were two more black bulls taking up the rear. The bulls entered the bullring in this order and the black colored bulls were quickly led towards the pens. The brown-colored bull turned back in the center of the ring and caused a few moments of tension before it too was skillfully led towards the pens by the "dobladores" without offering further resistance.