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A herd of heritage
Cracker cows, and some Cracker horses, will be featured in a public auction Saturday.
By LOGAN NEILL
Published November 4, 2005
RIDGE MANOR WEST - In 1521, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce De Leon landed on a stretch of beach near Fort Myers to begin his second exploration of the New World. He brought with him a small herd of Andalusian cattle and horses that he hoped would thrive in the warm Gulf Coast climate.
De Leon and his men never made it past the beach. The conquistador was mortally wounded in an attack by Caloosa Indian warriors. De Leon's cattle and horses, however, went on to thrive in the pine and palmetto marshes. In time, other Spanish explorers also would bring cattle and horses that would one day become the foundation of Florida's robust cattle industry.
Nearly 500 years after De Leon, the descendents of the hardy breed, known as Florida Cracker cattle, are prized by breeders and collectors who appreciate their history and heritage. Saturday, the Florida Cracker Cattle Association and the Florida Department of Agriculture will hold their annual public auction at the PK Ranch off Croom Rital Road.
According to association spokesman Stephen Monroe, between 50 and 60 Cracker cows and about 25 Cracker horses will be up for auction.
"It's a chance for people to experience living Florida history," Monroe said. "These animals are truly magnificent to see."
Indeed, unlike modern cattle breeds, which are raised to take on girth rapidly, Cracker cattle are somewhat smaller and more gaunt than their mixed-breed cousins. According to Monroe, the breed's characteristic hardiness is what made it perfectly suited for the hot Florida climate.
"These are tough animals, physically speaking," said Monroe. "The fact that they weren't the best-tasting meat is probably the reason that ranchers quit raising them."
All of which prompted the state in 1975 to declare the Cracker cattle a historic breed. Afterward, the state began building the first of three Cracker herds that it hoped would maintain the breed for posterity.
"It would be a tragedy to not have that part of our history anymore," Monroe said. "It's like having a living museum."
Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 352 848-1435.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Florida Cracker Cattle Association's horse and cattle auction
WHEN: Noon Saturday
WHERE: PK Ranch, 2 miles north of State Road 50 on Croom Rital Road, near Ridge Manor West
ADMISSION: Free; open to the public.
INFORMATION: Call 754-6777, ext. 123, or (850) 410-0944
[Last modified November 4, 2005, 01:41:19]
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