The Hollingsworth family achieved a top price of $1350 at their ram sale in St George sale on Thursday, their first in the south-west since taking over the Keilah Australian Whites stud in 2021.
Of the 49 rams offered, 27 were sold for a clearance rate of 55 per cent and an average price of $813 per head.
Lot 19 was the top-priced ram on the day, selling to Doonba Grazing, Glenmorgan.
The 91-kilogram sale topper was one of the McMillan family's draft of five, which they secured on the day for an average price of $910.
Other bulk buyers included the Neal family, Tara, who purchased four rams at an average price of $800, and the Cribb family, Murra Downs Bollon, who took home six rams also averaging $800.
Keilah stud principal Harel Hollingsoworth said he and wife Lisa were currently in the building phase after purchasing the stud along with the Warroo property two years ago.
Having already held sales at Longreach and Stanthorpe this year, Mr Hollingsworth said they were hopeful that the sales had helped to spread the word about their rams around the state, which was evident in the variety of buyers on the day.
"It was a bit on the lean side today, but there's been some good feedback from people after the sale who are keen to start looking this way, which is positive because it shows that there'll be interest down the track," he said.
"I like the Aussie Whites because they're a simple, no maintenance type of sheep and they fend for themselves really well.
"I just think they've got a big future in the western areas because of their simplicity. That's what we're sort of targeting, is the western producers."
Maintaining stud numbers around 500 head, Mr Hollingsworth said they were running a few more at the moment but were going to cull ewe numbers in the coming months in their endeavours to produce rams with solid weight gain and shedding abilities.
"I've always been a believer that you only ever get paid for the kilograms, so as you can see with these rams, we're trying to maintain a really good, heavy back-end to carry as much meat as possible," he said.
"Secondly, it's the shedding ability that we're after because a good shedding sheep means less maintenance and they can handle the flies much better.
"So they're the two things that we're focussing on, as well as keeping an eye on confirmation and all of those sorts of things of course."
The family also run a commercial flock of Dorper sheep and have experience in both the stud cattle and horse industries, but are excited about the future of Keilah.
When opening the sale, Mr Hollingsworth said that the family had dreams to become Queensland's leading Australian Whites stud and "if you're dreams don't scare you, they're not worth having."
"We're just trying to get the Keilah name out there at the moment," he said.
"In most of Queensland, if people think Aussie Whites, hopefully one day they'll think Keilah."
With rams selling to buyers at Glenmorgan, Tara, Bollon, Cunnamulla, Hughenden, Milmerran and Glen Innes, it seems the Hollingsworth's are on their way to making a name for themselves around the state.
- Selling agents: Elders, simulcast on Auctions Plus
