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Mess With the Bull, Get the Gore

Imagine Pamplona's running with the bulls. Now turn it up about 75 notches. Colombia's amateur bullfighting competitions--called corralejas--put rodeos, cage fighting and most military combat to shame.

Corralejas go back centuries in Colombia's Sucre Province, a poor, rural area kept afloat by cattle ranching. Of course, today's corralejas have a decidedly contemporary twist--and a lot more booze on hand to give fighters liquid courage.

The New York Times managed to find 26-year-old Adrian Manzano at the first aid station at one event. He's from Queens and went down to Colombia to see the fights firsthand. His reason?

"I've run with the bulls in Pamplona, but this is riskier," he said, pointing to the place on his head where a horse's hoof had trampled him. "It felt like my brains were coming through my ears."

Sounds... fun?

Related Stories:
· At Amateur Bullfights in Colombia, Alcohol and Blood Flow Freely [NYT]
· More Corralejas Videos [YouTube]
· Running of the Bulls coverage [Jaunted]