At just four years of age, Charlee Pace is already making a name for herself in the Brahman industry, following a successful debut at the first day of the Rockhampton Brahman Week sale in Gracemere on Monday.
This year's Rockhampton Beef Sale attracted 22 more vendors and 116 Brahman lots on the 2020 sale, with a strong draft of 909 Brahman bulls offered from 197 new and returning studs.
Accompanied by her parents and grandparents at the sale, Charlee was one of the 15 new vendors who all offered 30 Brahman bulls.
The Mackay youngster first sold her homozygous polled sire prospect, Blue Water Hills C Jake (PP) for a whopping $18,000 to Alistair and Pam Davison, Viva Brahmans, Middlemount.
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Charlee first registered her Blue Water Hills C stud with the Australian Brahman Breeders Association in 2019.
Although you couldn't wipe the smile of the young stud master's face as the final bid was knocked down to the Davison family, it was also an emotional farewell to see her "beloved bull" go to a new home.
"I'm very happy with the sale of my bull Jake," Charlee said.
"He's a great bull and I like his colour and how friendly he is to me.
"I fed him when he was a baby calf and watched him grow. I hope the new owners love him as much as I do"
Charlee joined her parents Jodie and Eddie Pace, as well as her grandparents Josephine and Emanuel Pace, Blue Water Hills, Calen, as Jake sold in the ring.
Jodie said Charlee was "serious" coming into the sale and that had grown an attachment with her bull.
"Ever since Charlee was a baby and part of Blue Water Hills, she's grown up with Jake and all the rest of Brahman bulls at home since she was little and helped her grandfather feed them continuously and working with them," Ms Pace said
"She's was a bit serious coming to the sale, taking all the excitement in. Charlee was all excited as Jake entered the ring, as she was wondering where he had went in the days leading up to the sale.
"Charlee's got another cow and calf at home and she'll continue to help grow her stud. She doesn't know what she's going to do with the money, but she'll probably invest it in her stud."
Rockstar Brahmans successful debut north
Among the 15 new vendors on the first day of Brahman Week were Stuart and Lynda Vollmerhausen from Rockstar Brahmans, Theebine.
They sold two grey Brahman bulls, including 28-month-old Rockstar Enzo 105 (IVF) (H) for $28,000 to the Scott family of Ruan Grazing, Clermont.
Although charting in unknown territory, the Vollmerhausens were "extremely happy " with the sale result and glad they made the trip north.
"Being first time vendors we were a bit worried because it was unknown territory for us," Mr Vollmerhausen said
"We market our females in Gympie and they've been performing well down there, and we thought we'd need some where to start placing some of our bulls in the north.
"The two bulls that we brought to Rockhampton have been IVF bred from real good donors that we've been fortunately been able to use."
Rockstar Enzo 105 is a son of imported sire JDH Martin Manso and Brahrock Miss Elmo East 4263 (ET) (H).
Also in the ring was Rockstar Rocketman 109 (IVF) (H), who is the full IVF brother of $32,000 sale topper in the 2020 Gympie Brahman Female sale.
In all, the Vollmerhausens sold both bulls for an average of $21,000, which Mr Vollmerhausen said put a smile on his face in the ring.
"We didn't expect this result. People up here don't know as well and they don't know our cattle until they see them. We hope the buyers do something good with them," he said.
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