Showing off "highly trained" longhorn cattle was supposed to rustle up interest in a local fair. But by the time the dust settled, the longhorns' stampede had knocked over street signs and smashed into police cars.

"They told us they were highly trained, that they could be controlled. Obviously they couldn't. I think we're lucky no one got hurt," said Lt. Michael Berg.The herd of 25 longhorns was released in the center of town to help sell tickets for the Napa Town and Country Fair. The cows immediately began to devour city hall lawn and shrubs.

Then the rodeo organizers urged them along the one-mile "stampede" route to the fairgrounds. The longhorns took off like the bulls at Pamplona.

Hooves scraped and skidded along the pavement Friday.

The cattle bumped into parked cars and knocked into street signs. One butted against the doors of the Redwood Bank while three employees held it shut.

"It's a good thing we never put in that automatic door we were talking about," said bank employee Lise Tarner.

Napa police could only stand by. At one point the longhorns smashed into the side of a sheriff's car.

Halfway to the fairgrounds, the longhorns ran into a line of anti-rodeo protesters who had vowed to block the stampede.

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"We think they'll change their mind when they see 25 longhorn cattle bearing down on them, said Lt. Berg.

The protesters scattered at the last moment.

"It's hard on the animals," said Rod Surber of the Napa Valley People for Animal Rights. "People are yelling and screaming at them. They should have the right to be in a field somewhere and just be cows."

When the herd finally reached the fairgrounds, cowboys herded them back onto their truck. Fair organizers say they didn't know whether the run through town, in the rolling wine country 36 miles north of San Francisco, boosted ticket sales.

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