Miguel Reta has been the shepherd of the San Fermín encierro for 32 years. Every morning, dozens of runners seek his hand before the race to wish for luck and acknowledge his authority on the street.
Eight minutes to seven in Pamplona. On Mercaderes street, the murmur of the runners mixes with nerves and that strange silence that precedes the rocket. Among the runners, a gesture is repeated every morning: many approach to high-five Miguel Reta, shepherd of the encierro for 32 years.
This is not just any greeting. It is almost a ritual, a way to wish for luck, to acknowledge authority, and to trust someone who knows the dangers of the San Fermín encierro like few others. Reta carries an ash stick and has spent a lifetime watching the bulls from the most difficult position: the rear.
From runner to shepherd of the encierro
Miguel Reta started in the streets of Pamplona as a runner. Like many others, he first felt the call of the encierro from within, in front of the bulls, with the adrenaline of the cobblestones and the speed of the herd. But in 1994, he changed roles: he became the shepherd of the encierro.
Since then, his role has been different. Less visible to many spectators, but essential for ensuring that each run reaches the square safely. In this San Fermín 2026, excluding the years of pause due to the pandemic, Reta has already accumulated more than three decades in one of the most delicate roles of the sanfermines. His job is not to run for show, but to manage the danger.
The shepherds form a team of about ten people spread out over the 875 meters of the route. They do not improvise. Each knows where they need to be, when to intervene, and how to move when the bulls advance from the Santo Domingo pens towards the square. They communicate with gestures, glances, and whistles. In just a few seconds, they must interpret whether the herd is grouped, if a bull is falling behind, or if any runner is putting others at risk.
The ash stick and the loose bull
The most challenging position is at the rear. There, the shepherd acts as a kind of broom for the encierro. He follows behind the herd, ensuring that the bulls do not lose direction and preventing one of the most feared situations: a bull getting loose. A loose bull can become disoriented, turn around, and return towards a street full of runners.
At that moment, the reaction of the shepherds is crucial. They must push the run forward, protect fallen runners, and cut off any movement that could increase danger. They also have another uncomfortable but necessary role: to stop reckless runners. The stick is not just an ornament. It serves to mark boundaries, move away those who should not be there, and remind everyone that the encierro is not a spectacle without rules.
That is why many runners seek out Miguel Reta before running. They do not do it for fame. They do it because they know that behind that figure lies years of experience, authority, and knowledge of bulls. Reta is part of that group of people who uphold the essence of the encierro without always being in the spotlight. Runners have their stretches, their moments, and their races. The shepherds have another responsibility: to ensure that everything continues smoothly when fear disrupts order.
The Casta Navarra and the dream of La Tejería
But Miguel Reta is not only understood in July nor only on the asphalt of Pamplona. Outside of the Sanfermines, his life is deeply connected to the wild countryside and livestock conservation. At his farm La Tejería, located in Grocin, in Tierra Estella, he has launched a project that many considered almost impossible: to recover the pure Casta Navarra for modern bullfighting on foot.
It was not just about breeding bulls. It was a long-term commitment to a historical breed, linked to Navarra and characterized by smart, nervous, fierce animals with great character. For decades, the Casta Navarra had been closely associated with popular festivities like recortes and capeas. Reta wanted to go further. His project at La Tejería has been a patient effort: he traced and genetically united the last five pure lines of this breed.
He invested years, resources, and effort into a very demanding livestock selection. He himself has described this task as a form of “livestock archaeology.” An expression that aptly summarizes the scope of his endeavor: looking to the past to recover a living heritage and bring it back to the present. The great milestone came in July 2021, in the French square of Céret. There, after more than a century of absence, the Casta Navarra was once again fought in a formal bullfight.
For enthusiasts, Reta represents a link between the most authentic tradition of the encierro and the conservation of a nearly lost breed. In each San Fermín, his presence on the street reminds us that behind the spectacle lies a profession, a responsibility, and a story that deserves to be told. And as long as the runners continue to seek his hand before the rocket, the essence of the encierro will remain alive.
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