More than 175 guests attended the Ray White Rural and Livestock awards at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Sydney, celebrating the network’s top offices and individuals across sales, leasing, property management and marketing over the past year.
The event was hosted by Ray White Castle Hill general manager Sonya Grosso.
Ray White Rural and Livestock CEO Matt White told the room the network’s position was earned rather than accidental.
“We stand today as market leaders – not by chance, but by choice,” Matt said.
“In times of uncertainty, consumers naturally gravitate toward brands they trust. They turn to us because they know our track record. They know we have weathered storms before, and they know we emerge stronger every time. To put it simply: this is not our first rodeo.”
Matt said the network was reinvesting in print media as part of its approach.
“We are reinvesting in the rural press, reaffirming our belief that print advertising is a cornerstone of our authority,” he said.
He also pointed to a year of expansion across the group, with existing business owners opening in new locations, new principals joining, and teams moving into bigger premises to support growth.
The Outstanding Contribution Award was shared by Sally Croft, general manager of Rural Pittsworth | Warwick | Dalby | Chinchilla | Stanthorpe, and Vicki Pain, principal of Ray White Rural Dayboro. Matt said Sally had spent 12 years building the Pittsworth group, which now spans five offices, while juggling three children and personal challenges along the way.
“I love this family and the support they have given our team and the support they have given everyone across the network, it’s truly amazing,” Sally said.
Vicki has been with Ray White for 21 years, the last 13 as business owner of Ray White Rural Dayboro. Matt described her as an outstanding brand ambassador who supports network events “with an infectious commitment”.
“It’s great to see everyone working so hard and doing so well,” Vicki said.
The Charlie Maher Award, named after the late industry figure and given to someone embodying his dedication and integrity, went to Netty Wendt, principal of Ray White Rural Gracemere. Matt said Netty regularly helps run sales and events for the broader livestock network on top of her own business and family commitments.
Matt Cleary, of Ray White Rural Toowoomba, was named Top Salesperson for the Rural network.
“This is really exciting,” Matt Cleary said. “I’ve been doing real estate for 36 years and half of that time has been with Ray White. The last three to four years have been some of my best years – and that’s a reflection of what’s happening in the rural and Darling Downs market.”
Matt Cleary also won the Property Campaign of the Year for the “Balmoral” campaign.
Ray White Rural Pittsworth | Warwick | Dalby | Chinchilla | Stanthorpe took out Top Business, while Ray White Rural Queensland was named Top Office. Marcel Jung, of Ray White Rural Gatton | Laidley, won Top Principal, and Ray White Rural Goulburn won the Community Contribution Award.
In the livestock categories, Ray White Richardson & Sinclair won Top Livestock Office and the sheep-sold category, while Ray White Rural Geaney | Kirkwood took out the cattle-sold award.
Ray White Rural Parkes | Forbes | Condobolin | West Wyalong won the Competition Creators Award for offices, and the team’s Jim O’Donoghue was named Top Competition Creator for individuals.
In the Clients’ Choice awards, Ray White Wheatley Hall & Thomson, Ray White Townsend Real Estate and Ray White Rural Bungendore ranked in the top three offices, while David Johnson (Ray White Rural Woodford), Kristy Markham (Ray White Rural Lifestyle Sydney) and Hamish Thomson (Ray White Wheatley Hall & Thomson) led the individual category.
James Brown, of Ray White Rural Albury | Wodonga, won Brand Territory Livestock Marketer of the Year, and James Croft, of the Pittsworth group, won Brand Territory Property Marketer of the Year.
On advertising, Ray White Rural South Australia topped the Stock Journal, Ray White Rural Victoria led the Stock & Land, Ray White Geaney | Kirkwood | Townsville topped the North Queensland Register, Ray White Rural Pittsworth led Queensland Country Life, and Ray White Rural Murrumbateman topped The Land.
Chloe Downie, of Ray White Rural Drouin, was named Property Manager of the Year, with Ray White Rural Inverell taking out Property Management Team of the Year. Ray White Rural Parkes | Forbes | Condobolin | West Wyalong won Property Management Revenue Growth, and Ray White Rural Gunnedah won Property Management Net Growth.
Jarrod Matchowitz, of Ray White Rural Tumut | Gundagai, and Grace Tobler, of Ray White Rural Bungendore, were joint winners of Sales Assistant of the Year. Ruby Bowers and Courtney Edwardes-Evans, of Ray White Rural Queensland, won Administration Team of the Year, and Jodie Kind, of Ray White Townsend Real Estate, was named Administrator of the Year.
THE LIST OF WINNERS:
TOP BUSINESS
Ray White Rural Pittsworth | Warwick | Dalby | Chinchilla | Stanthorpe
TOP OFFICE
Ray White Rural Queensland
TOP PRINCIPAL
Marcel Jung, Ray White Rural Gatton | Laidley
TOP SALESPERSON
Matt Cleary, Ray White Rural Toowoomba
TOP LIVESTOCK OFFICE
Ray White Richardson & Sinclair
TOP LIVESTOCK OFFICE – Number of Sheep sold
Ray White Richardson & Sinclair
TOP LIVESTOCK OFFICE – Number of cattle sold
Ray White Rural Geaney | Kirkwood
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION – (joint winners)
Sally Croft, Ray White Rural Rural Pittsworth | Warwick | Dalby | Chinchilla | Stanthorpe
Vicki Pain, Ray White Rural Dayboro | Eumundi
CHARLIE MAHER AWARD
Netty Wendt, Ray White Rural Gracemere
TOP COMPETITION CREATOR – OFFICE
Ray White Rural Parkes | Forbes | Condobolin | West Wyalong
TOP COMPETITION CREATOR – INDIVIDUAL
Jim O’Donoghue, Rural Parkes | Forbes | Condobolin | West Wyalong
CLIENTS’ CHOICE – OFFICE
Ray White Wheatley Hall & Thomson
CLIENTS’ CHOICE – INDIVIDUAL
Hamish Thomson, Ray White Wheatley Hall & Thomson
TOP ADVERTISERS
The Land, Ray White Rural Yass | Murrumbateman
Queensland Country Life, Ray White Rural Pittsworth
North Queensland Register, Ray White Rural Geaney | Kirkwood | Townsville
Stock & Land, Rural Victoria
Stock Journal, Ray White Rural South Australia
BRAND TERRITORY LIVESTOCK MARKETER OF THE YEAR
James Brown, Ray White Rural Albury | Wondonga
BRAND TERRITORY LIVESTOCK CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Matt Cleary, Ray White Rural Toowoomba, “Balmoral”
BRAND TERRITORY PROPERTY MARKETER OF THE YEAR
James Croft, Ray White Rural Pittsworth | Warwick | Dalby | Chinchilla | Stanthorpe
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
Ray White Rural Goulburn and Crookwell
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT – REVENUE
Rural Parkes | Forbes | Condobolin | West Wyalong
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT – NET GROWTH
Ray White Rural Gunnedah
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR
Ray White Rural Inverell
PROPERTY MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Chloe Downie, Ray White Rural Drouin
SALES ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR (joint winners)
Grace Tobler, Ray White Rural Bungendore
Jarrod Matchowitz, Ray White Rural Tumut | Gundagai
ADMINISTRATION TEAM OF THE YEAR
Ruby Bowers & Courtney Edwardes-Evans, Ray White Rural Queensland
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR
Jodie Kind, Ray White Townsend Real Estate