Gillette to host Corriente association national show
The North American Corriente Association (NACA) will host their national convention in conjunction with the Plains Area Corriente Association (PACA) Annual Cattle Show and Ropings Sept. 16-19 in Gillette.
NACA history
The NACA was formed in 1982 with the intent to promote and preserve the Corriente breed in North America.
“With the original Spanish cattle brought to Mexico as early as the 16th century, becoming muddied through ‘upgrading’ and indiscriminate cross-breeding, the pure Corriente was in danger of becoming extinct,” says NACA.
Founding ranchers were motivated by the difficulties they had in securing strong, healthy Corriente-type steers to rope and bulldog, according to the association.
“Ranchers were struggling to find good rodeo cattle, especially with closures on the Mexican border,” says NACA Executive Secretary Nikki Ashley. Ashley’s father was one of the founding members of the association.
One of the first functions of the association was to establish the breed registry to document pedigrees and standardize breed characteristics so breeders and buyers both could be assured of genetic background.
“The Corriente breed has continued to evolve since the association and registry began,” says Ashley. “Now we are raising more awareness about the breed, and the production of good roping cattle and lean Corriente beef products.”
Unique traits preserved
“The preservation of the Corriente is not simply about raising small cattle with horns for the expanding sports market,” says NACA. “It is an effort to preserve an important resource for the cattle industry.”
Often overlooked, Corrientes boast positive traits such as high fertility, early maturity, calving ease, forage efficiency and disease resistance. Further than reproductive and efficiency, Corrientes have been valued by producers as productive range cattle.
“Studies have shown Corriente grazing habits are beneficial for our rangelands,” notes NACA. “Wherever Corriente have been, the native grasses have been beneficially grazed, but not nibbled to dirt, there are fewer weeds and prickly pear.”
“The NACA has been working to implement a beef program,” says Corriente breeder Dale Nauman of the Tumbling “7” Ranch in South Dakota. “Many breeders will feed out these cattle in a grass-fed or a grain and grass-fed program to market as lean beef.”
National convention events
Since 1982, NACA has sponsored annual meetings consisting of educational activities and meetings, a cattle show, a fundraiser and banquet and a member-based roping and steer wrestling.
During the show, Corriente cattle are judged based on conformation along with their performance in roping and dogging events.
“This system encourages the promotion of Corriente as prime rodeo cattle, while still preserving the breed’s unique physical traits,” NACA explains.
“The national convention hosts networking opportunities for our producers and a chance to show their cattle and have fun roping,” shares Ashley.
This year, the NACA banquet will host U.S. Cattlemen’s Association Vice President Justin Tupper as the keynote speaker. The meeting will also host a judging seminar after the cattle show to become certified Corriente judges.
Along with the membership based ropings at the convention, NACA is proud to hold a steer wrestling qualifying event for the American Rodeo next spring. While some of the ropings require contestants to be Corriente breeders, ropers and steer wrestlers may purchase an associate membership to NACA to participate.
Averi Hales is the editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
