PHOENIX (Reuters) - Forget Pamplona. Bring on Scottsdale, Arizona.
The suburban Phoenix enclave, known for its well-heeled residents and golf courses, is planning its own running of the bulls in May to rival the famous annual event in July on the cobblestone streets of that Spanish city. Scottsdale's version of the 400-year-old event will take place at an area Western theme park, complete with local bulls that tip the scales at a hefty 1,200 pounds.
"The people who enter are looking for an adrenaline rush or live life on the edge," promoter Phil Immordino said. "You probably have to be a little off to do this."
Plans call for entrants to try to keep a few steps ahead of 20 of these beefy behemoths down a one-third of a mile-long stretch, with pullouts every 100 feet for those looking to get out of the way quickly.
Eight runs will be held throughout the weekend, part of a celebration of Cinco de Mayo, a May 5 Mexican holiday commemorating a 19th Century victory over French troops that is widely observed in the U.S. Southwest.
Immordino said participants should not necessarily be in fear for their lives because the bulls are a bit tamer than their Spanish counterparts.
"They are still going to be ornery and still are going to be dangerous," he said. "But these are not the same type of bulls they have over there."
Risking one's backside does come at a price. Cost is $25 for one run and $10 for each additional one, or $60 for all of them. Prospective runners need to be 18 years old, have health insurance and sign a waiver.
It is not the first time Immordino has run with the idea. He staged the event in 1998 and 1999 in tiny Mesquite, Nevada, near the Arizona-Nevada border. But it proved to be a financial bust.
The suburban Phoenix enclave, known for its well-heeled residents and golf courses, is planning its own running of the bulls in May to rival the famous annual event in July on the cobblestone streets of that Spanish city. Scottsdale's version of the 400-year-old event will take place at an area Western theme park, complete with local bulls that tip the scales at a hefty 1,200 pounds.
"The people who enter are looking for an adrenaline rush or live life on the edge," promoter Phil Immordino said. "You probably have to be a little off to do this."
Plans call for entrants to try to keep a few steps ahead of 20 of these beefy behemoths down a one-third of a mile-long stretch, with pullouts every 100 feet for those looking to get out of the way quickly.
Eight runs will be held throughout the weekend, part of a celebration of Cinco de Mayo, a May 5 Mexican holiday commemorating a 19th Century victory over French troops that is widely observed in the U.S. Southwest.
Immordino said participants should not necessarily be in fear for their lives because the bulls are a bit tamer than their Spanish counterparts.
"They are still going to be ornery and still are going to be dangerous," he said. "But these are not the same type of bulls they have over there."
Risking one's backside does come at a price. Cost is $25 for one run and $10 for each additional one, or $60 for all of them. Prospective runners need to be 18 years old, have health insurance and sign a waiver.
It is not the first time Immordino has run with the idea. He staged the event in 1998 and 1999 in tiny Mesquite, Nevada, near the Arizona-Nevada border. But it proved to be a financial bust.