Basketball - The Durango Herald

Column: NCAA Division II tournament needs reform

But the Skyhawks will still need to win big games to achieve their goals

DATE: Mar 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Heartbreak: Fort Lewis loses 85-80 to Colorado Mesa in NCAA tournament

Skyhawks trailed most of the game, led in second half

DATE: Mar 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Photos: Fort Lewis Skyhawks’ season ends in South Central Region basketball tournament semifinals

Fort Lewis falls 85-80 against Colorado Mesa on Sunday in Canyon, Texas

DATE: Mar 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Gallery

Live updates: Colorado Mesa defeats Fort Lewis 85-80 in South Central Region basketball tournament

Skyhawks and Mavericks squaring off on Sunday in Canyon, Texas

DATE: Mar 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Dominant paint presence powers Fort Lewis past Lubbock Christian in NCAA tournament

Skyhawks move on to face Colorado Mesa on Sunday night

DATE: Mar 16, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Photos: Fort Lewis defeats Lubbock Christian 86-72 in South Central Region basketball tournament opener

Skyhawks pull ahead late in first half Saturday in Canyon, Texas, will face Colorado Mesa in Sunday’s regional semifinals

DATE: Mar 16, 2024 | CATEGORY: Gallery

Live updates: Fort Lewis defeats Lubbock Christian 86-72 in South Central region NCAA tournament opener

Skyhawks in action Saturday at West Texas A&M; Fort Lewis will face Colorado Mesa on Sunday

DATE: Mar 16, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Here’s a look at why Fort Lewis didn’t get top seed in South Central region

Skyhawks received the second seed; West Texas A&M received the top seed

DATE: Mar 15, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Contrasting styles: Scouting Lubbock Christian

The Chaps lost on a buzzer-beater in the Lone Star Conference championship game

DATE: Mar 14, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Fort Lewis gets No. 2 seed in South Central region of NCAA tournament

Skyhawks will travel to West Texas A&M to face Lubbock Christian

DATE: Mar 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Photos: Fort Lewis College men’s basketball wins second straight RMAC tournament title

Skyhawks defeated Colorado Mesa 86-75 Saturday night

DATE: Mar 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Gallery

Agbim’s 33 points lifts Skyhawks to RMAC tournament championship over Colorado Mesa

Fort Lewis wins back-to-back RMAC tournament titles GRAND JUNCTION – For the first time in Fort Lewis men’s basketball history, the Skyhawks are back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conferen...

DATE: Mar 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Sports

Photos: Durango High School boys golf competes at stateDemons finished 14th after two rounds at Fox Hill Club in Longmont

Demons finished 14th after two rounds at Fox Hill Club in Longmont

Photos: Cowboy Gathering Social and Parade

Photos: High County Cattle Auction

High Country Cattle Auction brings top-notch stock and country charm to Southwest ColoradoFamily run, generational business dates back to 1940s

BREEN – The family-owned and operated High Country Cattle Auction is “in the bones” of the Cugnini family, said third-generation owner Chris Cugnini. The business was founded by Chris’ grandfather, Pat Cugnini, in the 1940s. Pat then passed the business down to his son, Duane Cugnini, who then turned the business over to daughters, Becky Hawkins and Chris Cugnini, whose daughters plan to take over the family business one day. The auction, which takes place once or twice a month from April to January at 13062 La Plata Highway (Colorado Highway 140) near Breen, attracts ranchers, farmers and those in the cattle industry from far and wide.

Former Durango resident Steve Greenburg has been attending the High Country Cattle auction for more than 40 years, and continues to travel to Breen all the way from Arizona, where he now lives. He attended the September auction last week, where around 1,200 animals were up for sale. Greenburg said effective bidding takes concentration and a practiced hand. “You want to make sure you don’t pay too much,” he said. “And if you do, you want to buy the business.” Amber Belvin, employee of 15 years and Chris’ operations “sidekick,” said bidders are most often looking for signs of good health in an animal, like a plump, filled-out body. If bidding on a herd, a look of uniformity among the animals is key to a good purchase, she said.

Despite Greenburg already having a handful of filled out bidding cards marking the cattle he had won within an hour of the Sept. 23 auction, he said the day was young. One sale day last year culminated in Greenburg taking home 22 semi-trucks worth of cattle, he said. Chris said Greenburg is one of the auction’s longest-term and most generous supporters. “(Greenburg) pays top-dollar,” Chris said. “And (that) makes me feel good, because we’re giving back to (the sellers). I know these people around here, and they’re the hardest working people on the planet. If I can get them 10 or 20 cents more per pound, then that makes us happy.”

Cattle auction prices have gone up in recent years, both at High Country and nationally, Chris said. This year, animals are going for $2,500 to $3,000 a head – double and triple the average prices from last year. The increase, Chris said, is in part because of a screw worm making the rounds in cattle in Mexico, which has lowered the number of cattle coming in from the south, along with people subdividing and selling cattle branches, and local cattle herd numbers diminishing, which has increased demand.

Chris called the price increase “good and bad.” “It’s great if you’re a seller, because there’s prices that you’ve never seen before,” she said. “Older men come in, (and they) can’t believe the prices. Some of them do this for a living, and they count on that, so they’re so happy.” Belvin said some smaller farmers opt to buy less cattle during price surges like this, but echoed Chris’ sentiment about sellers being ecstatic about the unprecedented profit.

Local cattle farmer Lawrence Martinez entered 59 steers and 95 heifers in the auction Tuesday. Martinez has been involved in the High Country Cattle Auction “pretty much forever,” but recent years have been especially fruitful for sales, he said. “These last few years, we’ve been coming here to sell, because this is the place to go,” he said. “I wouldn’t sell anywhere else. (The market here has) been so good.”The auction’s community roots and generational touch doesn’t stop at the Cugnini family: Shane Hatch, the auctioneer, took over the job after his father’s death, Belvin said.

The auction serves as an opportunity for community members to get together and bond, Belvin said. “When we do have an auction, it’s a great place where local farmers and ranchers can get together and talk,” she said. “They come to the cafe, and they talk about the hay, and the drought situation, and I think it’s a good connecting point.” Chris and Belvin both expressed feeling glad the auction can supply so much generational value to the local farming and ranching community. “I mean, what other business can you think of around here that’s the same, right?” Belvin said. “We’re fair, and we’re very meticulous at our jobs. We take it very seriously, because this is (some peoples’) livelihood.”

For the Cugninis – and long-term employees like Belvin, who have become an honorary part of the close-knit High Country Cattle Auction family – the heart of the business aligns with the heart of the local farming and ranching community. “We’re just good, hard working people – Americans – that want to make a good living, and live off this great land,” Belvin said. epond@durangoherald.com

Family run, generational business dates back to 1940s

Photos: Ride with the Champions bike parade

Photos: Changing colors

Photos: Fort Lewis College Volleyball sweeps Black Hills StateSkyhawks off to best start since 2006

Skyhawks off to best start since 2006

Photos: Durango High School football takes on Piedra Vista High SchoolDemons’ defense dominates in 17-0 victory on Friday night

Demons’ defense dominates in 17-0 victory on Friday night

Skyhawks beat Lubbock Christian 2-1 in season opener on Thursday

Photos: Four Corners Motorcycle RallyLots of motorcycles and tattoos were on display on Saturday

Lots of motorcycles and tattoos were on display on Saturday

Column: NCAA Division II tournament needs reform

Heartbreak: Fort Lewis loses 85-80 to Colorado Mesa in NCAA tournament

Photos: Fort Lewis Skyhawks’ season ends in South Central Region basketball tournament semifinals

Live updates: Colorado Mesa defeats Fort Lewis 85-80 in South Central Region basketball tournament

Dominant paint presence powers Fort Lewis past Lubbock Christian in NCAA tournament

Photos: Fort Lewis defeats Lubbock Christian 86-72 in South Central Region basketball tournament opener

Live updates: Fort Lewis defeats Lubbock Christian 86-72 in South Central region NCAA tournament opener

Here’s a look at why Fort Lewis didn’t get top seed in South Central region

Contrasting styles: Scouting Lubbock Christian

Fort Lewis gets No. 2 seed in South Central region of NCAA tournament

Photos: Fort Lewis College men’s basketball wins second straight RMAC tournament title

Agbim’s 33 points lifts Skyhawks to RMAC tournament championship over Colorado Mesa

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