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A 33-year-old cattle breeder from Spain tragically lost his life during the country’s annual bull racing festival in Beas de Segura, Jaen, on Friday. Santiago Barrero San Román, a devoted father and husband, was fatally injured after being attacked by a bull in one of the event’s most dangerous moments.
The festival, held from April 22 to 25, features bulls chasing participants through the streets-a tradition known for its intensity and risk. Footage from the incident shows San Román being lifted into the air by the bull’s horns before the animal crushed him against a wooden fence on Calle Palomeras, a street ominously nicknamed the “street of hell” for its ferocious bull runs.
Despite efforts from bystanders who tried to distract the bull and pull it away using a rope, the animal continued its assault, piercing San Román’s torso. He was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries to his abdomen, chest, and groin but sadly passed away about an hour later.
San Román was an emerging breeder of fighter bulls, having inherited livestock from his family and looking to expand his business. Friends and community members remember him as deeply connected to rural life, having grown up immersed in the family’s cattle enterprise founded by his father and grandfather.
He leaves behind his wife, Vanesa, and their young daughter, with a second child on the way. Vanesa shared a heartfelt message on social media, expressing her grief and love for her husband, describing him as the most beautiful part of her life and their daughters’ world.
The festival continued as planned, though a minute of silence was observed in San Román’s honor. Organizers from Hermandad de San Marcos issued a statement expressing profound sorrow and extending condolences to the family, urging the community to come together in this time of mourning.