July 7, San Fermin. The long year of waiting ends this morning when the Fuente Ymbro bulls leave along the Santo Domingo slope to star in the first running of the bulls of the San Fermines 2026 at 8 in the morning. It will be the 19th time that the emblematic Cadiz cattle ranch will tour the streets of Pamplona, and the second consecutive year that the festivals will open. If they comply with their custom, a quick and clean confinement is expected.
It has been nine years since those from Fuente Ymbro caused antler injuries in San Fermín. Last year they completed the running of the bulls in 2 minutes and 37 seconds, leaving only six injured in their wake.
Of the bulls that are already resting in the corrals, Improvised y hotelier, weighing 610 kilos each. They accompany them Cheating, with 600 kilos; Braggart, con 585; Extravagant, con 570; Clerk, con 575; Bottle rack, with 570; and Taranto, with 595. The coats of the animals vary between black, black bragado meano, black ribbon and soap.
At 8 in the morning, a rocket will announce the opening of the doors of the Corrales de Santo Domingo and the race will begin: first, the Santo Domingo slope —with a gradient of 10 percent—; then, the Plaza Consistorial and Mercaderes street, which ends in a 90-degree curve, Estafeta street, then —the longest stretch—, and, finally, Telefónica and the access alley to the square; in total, 875 meters, which the bulls and runners – between 2,000 and 3,500 – usually cover in three minutes and 30 seconds, on average, at a speed of 14.58 km/hour.
This year also includes two changes in the regulations: runners who enter the bullring before the arrival of the bulls will be prohibited from remaining in the ring, so that they do not hinder the rest; and the time to access the tour, which will be carried out exclusively from the town hall square, changes from 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. In addition, the council has announced the sanctions that could be imposed on those who hinder the normal development of the bulls, and which range between 600 euros for minor infractions (wearing inappropriate footwear or carrying backpacks), to 6,000 for serious ones (touching bulls, using drones or running under the influence of alcohol or drugs) and up to 60,000 euros for the use of skates or bicycles.
In the afternoon, starting at 6:30 p.m., the bulls will be fought by Daniel Luque, Víctor Hernández and Aarón Palacio. For the last two it will be their presentation as bullfighters in the plaza of Pamplona.