Politics - The Durango Herald

Making news versus talking issues: What are Democrats doing this election cycle?

Democratic Chairman Shad Murib says party is refocusing efforts in rural counties

DATE: Jun 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado voters could be blocked from implementing ranked choice voting

Colorado may decide in November whether to move the state’s elections to a ranked choice voting system. However, a recent move by the state legislature could block or delay that change, even...

DATE: Jun 2, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Lawmakers address health care, tribal protections during end-of-session review in Durango

Rep. Barbara McLachlan and Sen. Cleave Simpson drop by library for Q&A with residents

DATE: May 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Telluride man sentenced to a year in prison for involvement in Capitol Riot

A man from Telluride will serve 12 months and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to a felony charge for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Avery Ma...

DATE: May 18, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado lawmakers reject push to prevent local short-term rental rules from applying to backcountry huts, cabins

Senate Bill 213 draws ire of counties

DATE: May 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Business

‘We would lay our arms down:’ Is this the end of the property tax wars, or just another battle?

Once again, Colorado lawmakers are debating a big plan to reduce property tax rates

DATE: Apr 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

3rd Congressional District candidate Jeff Hurd visits Bayfield

Grand Junction attorney stopped by Chavolo’s Mexican Restaurant on Saturday

DATE: Apr 27, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango City Council pushes back on Southern Ute’s claim of illegal land grab

Councilors decline invitation to meet with tribe, deciding to ‘let calmer heads prevail’

DATE: Apr 25, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

‘Vexatious’ no more, Colorado public records bill loses controversial section

Lawmakers stripped a provision from a public records bill that would have allowed Colorado governments to label certain citizens as “vexatious,” and delay production of records if they demon...

DATE: Apr 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

‘Fake electors’ banned under new Colorado law

Gov. Jared Polis signed a new law to explicitly make it illegal to serve as a fake elector in future presidential elections in Colorado. Georgia, Nevada, and Michigan are prosecuting individ...

DATE: Apr 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Ban on assault weapons clears Colorado House

A bill to ban the sale of so-called assault weapons in Colorado cleared the Democratic controlled House on Sunday. Under the legislation, businesses and individuals would no longer be able t...

DATE: Apr 14, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

New state office would be barrier-breaking hub for Coloradans with disabilities

Rep. David Ortiz, the first Colorado lawmaker to use a wheelchair, sees proposed Disability Opportunity Office as way to continue advocacy

DATE: Apr 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

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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,” he 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