'Great Bull Run' event in Temecula canceled

TEMECULA, Calif. (KABC) -- The "running of the bulls" is no longer just a tradition in Spain. One company is trying to bring it to Southern California, but is having some trouble.

It's known as "The Great Bull Run," and it's happened in several cities around the country, but so far attempts to hold a "run" in Southern California have fallen through.

At the events, hundreds of people crowd onto a dirt track and run for their lives as 1,500-pound bulls stampede down the course.

About 2,000 people had signed up for The Great Bull Run at the Temecula Downs Event Center scheduled for next month. But about a week ago, the company canceled, saying Riverside County never approved their permit.

In a statement, company spokesperson Rob Pickens told Eyewitness News: "I believe their official reason was that they think the event is too dangerous for the participants, but we've had over 20,000 runners at our events thus far and have had only two people suffer somewhat serious injuries."

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is opposed to these races altogether.

"Humans are willing participants in these events. There's no excuse to take a frightened animal and force it to participate and run for its life for a display of human idiocy," said Matthew Strugar, an attorney for PETA.

Even though the event in Temecula has been canceled, there could be another one scheduled elsewhere in Southern California later this year.

Riverside County says the company never applied for a permit. The company says it is planning to hold the event somewhere in Los Angeles County in November.