Associated Press - The Durango Herald

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World leaders gathering in Egypt throw their weight behind the Gaza ceasefire deal

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — The U.S. and Egyptian presidents are chairing a gathering of world leaders dubbed “Summit for Peace” on Monday to support ending the more than two-year Israel-H...

Living hostages and Palestinian prisoners are released as part of ceasefire in Gaza

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, while Israel began releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Trump is in Israel to tout a ceasefire he believes could foster lasting Middle East peace

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump was in Israel on Monday to celebrate the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas before continuing on to Egypt for a key sum...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Israelis celebrate the return of hostages after ceasefire in Gaza, in photos

Israelis on Monday celebrated the return of the last surviving hostages from Gaza — a defining exchange in the fragile ceasefire that has paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas. As...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

World shares are mixed as Trump suggests leeway for progress in trade talks with China

BANGKOK (AP) — European shares advanced on Monday while Asian shares retreated following a rout Friday on Wall Street. Oil prices gained more than $1 a barrel. On Monday, Beijing urged U.S...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

What to know as Israel and Hamas exchange hostages and prisoners as Trump arrives in the Middle East

A critical day is unfolding for the Middle East as Israel began receiving the last 20 living hostages held by Hamas and released some of the nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange in...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Nobel economics prize goes to 3 researchers for explaining innovation-driven economic growth

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt won the Nobel memorial prize in economics Monday for “having explained innovation-driven economic growth.” Mokyr is from Northwe...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Bus crash in mountainous region of South Africa kills at least 42 people

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A bus veered off a road and plunged down an embankment on a steep mountain pass in northern South Africa, killing at least 42 people and leaving another 49 passengers inj...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy to learn prison date and location Monday

PARIS (AP) — Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to learn Monday when and where he will serve time in prison for criminal conspiracy for a scheme to use funds from Libya to financ...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

China shows no sign of backing down while issuing call for US to withdraw tariff threat

BANGKOK (AP) — China did not back down Monday in a back-and-forth with the U.S. over trade, calling for U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw his latest threat of a 100% tariff and other e...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

A look at the living hostages released by Hamas under ceasefire deal

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Their faces stare down from every street corner in Israel on posters now sun-faded and ripped. Their stories, told by anguished family members, are almost as well-kno...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

From a hilltop village and across Israel: Tears of joy as the living hostages are returned

LAVON, Israel (AP) — It was a day of joy and tears across Israel. Families, loved ones and friends watched as Hamas released the last living hostages held captive for over two years in the G...

DATE: Oct 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

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

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