San Fermin 2012: Running of the Bulls (41 Pictures)

Once again the festival in Pamplona, Spain, which dates to the16th century and is known worldwide for the controversial bullfights and harrowing Running of the Bulls over the city's cobbled streets is underway. More than a dozen people have been reported injured or gored in the five runs held so far. The nine-day San Fermin festival kicked off in the packed city square with people dousing one another with wine and water. It concludes on July 14th at midnight with singing by candlelight. -- Lloyd Young (41 photos total)

A fighting cow leaps over bull runners in the Plaza de Toros following the first Running of the Bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 7. After the bull run, runners remain in the bullring and small fighting cows are released. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters)

A recortador jumps over a bull during a contest at Pamplona's bullring on the third day of the San Fermin festival on July 8. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters) 

A blindfolded reveler jumps from a fountain to be caught by the crowd during the Chupinazo, marking the first day of the San Fermin Running of the Bulls festival on July 6 in Pamplona, Spain. Pamplona's famous Fiesta de San Fermin, which involves the Running of the Bulls through the historic heart of Pamplona for eight days starting July 7th, was made famous by the 1926 novel of writer Ernest Hemingway titled 'The Sun Also Rises'. (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images) 

Revelers hold up their red hankerchiefs during the opening day or 'Chupinazo', of the San Fermin Running of the Bulls fiesta on July 6 in Pamplona, Spain. Pamplona's famous Fiesta de San Fermin, which involves the Running of the Bulls through the historic heart of Pamplona for eight days starting July 7. (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images) 

Participants celebrate during the 'Chupinazo' to mark the start at noon sharp of the San Fermin Festival on July 6 in front of the Town Hall of Pamplona, northern Spain. The festival is a symbol of Spanish culture, despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups, and attracts thousands of tourists to watch the bull runs. (Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images) 

Revelers of ''Pena Voladora'', hold up a colleague at the end of the first Running of the Bulls at the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain on July 7. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

A reveler gets soaked in water thrown from a balcony during the start of the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona on July 6. The annual festival, best known for its daily running of the bulls, kicked off on Friday with the traditional "Chupinazo" rocket launch and will run until July 14. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

A reveler seen on a chair in the old city sleeps at the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain on July 8. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

A musical band march during the 'Chupinazo', the official opening of the 2012 San Fermin fiestas on July 6 in Pamplona, Spain. Revelers from around the world kick off the San Fermin festival with a messy party in the Pamplona city square, one day before the first of eight days of the Running of the Bulls. (Ivan Aguinaga/Associated Press) 

People walk by soap bubbles during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 7. San Fermin, patron saint of the San Fermin festival, is believed to protect the hundreds of runners that participate in the Running of the Bulls. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

A man walks past a couple kissing at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 7. (Eloy Alonso/Reuters) 

A reveler celebrates during the first day of the San Fermin Running of the Bulls on July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. Pamplona's famous Fiesta de San Fermin, which involves the Running of the Bulls through the historic heart of Pamplona for eight days starting July 7. (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images) 

Children sit on a window sill as they watch the statue of San Fermin, patron saint of the San Fermin festival, being carried through the streets during a procession in his honor in Pamplona on July 7. San Fermin is believed to protect the hundreds of runners that participate in the Running of the Bulls. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

A man dressed as a giant holds a young girl during the giants and big heads parade of the San Fermin festival on July 10 in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona. The festival is a symbol of Spanish culture that attracts thousands of tourists to watch the bull runs despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups. (Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images) 

Traditionally dressed children walk near a fibreglass bull's head following festivities at the bullring on the fifth day of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 10. The nine-day San Fermin festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from all over the world, and is a major boost to Pamplona's tourist economy. (Eloy Alonso/Reuters) 

Revelers watch fireworks during the first day of the San Fermin Running of the Bulls on July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. Pamplona's famous Fiesta de San Fermin, which involves the Running of the Bulls through the historic heart of Pamplona. (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images) 

Revelers are showered with sparks from the "Fire Bull", a man carrying a metal structure loaded with fireworks on the fourth day of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 9. Visitors to the nine-day festival, depicted in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises", take part in activities including The Running of The Bulls, an early morning half mile dash from the corral to the bullring alongside six bulls destined to die in the afternoon's corrida. This is followed by processions of giant traditional figures, concerts, firebulls, fireworks, and large doses of eating, drinking, dancing and late nights. (Vincent West/Reuters) 

Performers dressed as oversized traditional figures dance through the streets during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 10. (Eloy Alonso/Reuters) 

Runners stretch before the fifth Running of the Bulls at the Estafeta corner during San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 11. Several runners suffered light injuries in a run that lasted three minutes and twelve seconds, according to local media. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

Revelers run on Estafeta street beside to El Pilar fighting bulls ranch, during the fourth running of the bulls at the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain on July 10. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

A steer makes his way trough a pack of revelers during the Running of the Bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain on July 8. (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press) 

Participants run with El Pilar bulls during the fourth bull run of the San Fermin Festival on July 10. (Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images) 

A reveler grabs a Fuente Ymbro's ranch fighting bull's horn during the Running of the Bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain on July 11. (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press) 

A steer jumps over the crowd of runners blocking the entrance to the bullring during the second running of the bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 8. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

Doctors and paramedics give assistance to a reveler after a Dolores Aguirre Yabarra ranch fighting bull tossed him during the Running of the Bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain on July 7. (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press) 

Revelers look back while running with a pack of six El Pilar's ranch fighting bulls during the Running of the Bulls on July 10. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

A reveler is tossed by a Dolores Aguirre Yabarra ranch fighting bull during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain on July 7. (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press) 

A runner sprints alongside El Pilar fighting bulls at the Estafeta corner during the fourth running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 10. Several runners suffered light injuries in the fastest run (two minutes and twenty-two seconds) so far in this festival, according to local media. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

Runners enter the bull ring during the third Running of the Bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 9. Three people were gored in a run that lasted three minutes and thirty-eight seconds, according to local media. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

A wild cow tosses a reveler following the second day of the Running of the Bulls at the bullring during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 8. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters) 

A cow jumps over revelers in the bull ring at the end of third Running of the Bulls at the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, on July 9. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

A reveler tries to escape a cow in the bull ring at the end of third Running of the Bulls on July 9. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

A reveler is tossed by a cow in the bull ring at the end of third Running of the Bulls at the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, on July 9. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

Spanish bullfighter Jose Miguel Perez 'Joselillo' holds his hat before he performs during a bullfight at the San Fermin Fiestas on July 7. (Ivan Aguinaga/Associated Press) 

Spanish bullfighter Fernando Robleno performs with a Miura's ranch fighting bull during a bullfight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 8. (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press) 

Spanish matador Antonio Nazare looks at his Cebada Gago bull during the third corrida of the San Fermin Festival on July 9. (Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images) 

Spanish mounted bullfighter Roberto Armendariz in front of a bull during a horseback bullfight at San Fermin Fiestas in Pamplona, Spain on July 6. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

Spanish bullfighter Roberto Armendariz kneels in front of a bull during a horseback bullfight at the San Fermin Fiestas on July 6. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

Spanish bullfighter Antonio Nazare performs a pass to a bull during the third bullfight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 9. (Susana Vera/Reuters) 

A bull pushes the horse of Spanish mounted bullfighter Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza during a horseback bullfight at the San Fermin Fiestas in Pamplona on July 6. (Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press) 

Spanish bullfighter Francisco Marco performs a pass to a bull during the third bullfight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on July 9. (Susana Vera/Reuters)