DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) -- Two people were rushed to the hospital after the final wave of the first Great Bull Run in Dinwiddie County.
The event, modeled after the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, kicked off Saturday at 11 a.m. and wrapped up with a final run around 3:30 p.m. at the Virginia Motorsports Park.
That's when one person was trampled. Dinwiddie County Fire and EMS officials confirmed two people taken to the hospital from injuries directly related to the run. [VIDEO: Man trampled during Great Bull Run]
Additionally, several dozen people went to first aid themselves for minor cuts and bruises.
The bulls appeared calm at the start of the first race, but things picked up as the bulls became accustomed to the track. Hundreds ran through the pen, coming within feet of the half-ton bulls, as the animals ran through.
“You don't know what's going to happen,” said Matthew Stinson, one of the thousands who took part in the run. “The sweat glands are just pouring off of me.”
Many saw this event as a dangerous one. And CBS 6 News cameras were rolling when a bull injured a man, but others came out fine.
“I mean people were getting tossed in the air a few times by bulls but those people just hopped back up and hopped over the fence,” said Stinson.
Along with potential dangers, the Humane Society was on hand to observe the run, because it had some concern about the bulls’ welfare. They wanted to make sure the animals were not agitated by participants or the handlers while they were running.
The day also included a Tomato Royale, modeled somewhat after the annual La Tomatina festival in Bunol, Spain, made for an experience to remember. [BONUS: Click here for photos from the event.]
The event was the first of its kind in the U.S. and additional events are planned across the U.S.
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