Pinora Poll Dorset final sale clears 72 head at Dawson for a $1592 average
Summary
The Pinora Poll Dorset stud at Dawson has closed a monumental chapter with its final on-property ram sale, recording a total clearance of 72 rams in a swift 25-minute auction. The 1.5-year-old rams averaged $1592 and hit a top price of $2600.
The stud principals revealed earlier this month that they would officially draw the curtain on their long-running sheep enterprise, winding down the operation before placing the 730 hectare property on the market in the coming years. One principal said he had started to get emotional at the start of the sale, and that was when it sank in that this was the final sale and the last time they would sell sheep.
Several buyers who purchased rams at the inaugural sale in 2006 were penside to witness and buy at the 20th and final sale. Commercial lamb producers across East, West and South Gippsland were among the main buyers.
The top-priced ram, lot 2, tag 139, was a June 2025-drop weighing 114 kilograms. Its Primescan measurements included a fat depth of 7.8 millimetres, an eye muscle depth of 45 millimetres and an eye muscle area of 39 square centimetres.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Rams offered, sold |
72, total clearance |
| Sale average | $1592 |
| Top price | $2600 |
| Sale duration | 25 minutes |
| Largest single order |
24 rams for several clients |
| Top ram weight | 114 kilograms |
| Top ram eye muscle depth | 45 millimetres |
| Sale edition | 20th and final |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What did the Pinora Poll Dorset final sale top at?
The sale topped at $2600 for lot 2. All 72 rams sold for a total clearance at a $1592 average, in an auction that took just 25 minutes. The 1.5-year-old rams made up the draft.
Why was this the final sale?
The stud principals announced earlier this month that they would draw the curtain on their long-running sheep enterprise. They plan to wind down the operation before placing the 730 hectare property on the market in the coming years. It was the stud's 20th and final on-property sale.
Who bought the top-priced ram?
Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock, Bairnsdale, secured him for a buyer in the Bairnsdale district who wished to remain anonymous. The agent said the ram, sired by Pinora 301/22, would be joined to a small, private unregistered Poll Dorset stud, crediting his balanced figures and bloodlines.
What figures did the top-priced ram record?
The June 2025-drop ram weighed 114 kilograms. His Primescan measurements included a fat depth of 7.8 millimetres, an eye muscle depth of 45 millimetres and an eye muscle area of 39 square centimetres.
Who were the volume buyers?
Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, Leongatha, was the most active, buying 24 rams for several clients in the Thorpdale area. Hopfields Pty Ltd, Dutson, took 12 rams to a $2000 top for lot 14. Two Buchan South buyers purchased eight rams between them.
Who else bought at the sale?
A Thorpdale operation took nine rams to a $1600 top, with two other Thorpdale buyers taking six to $1600 and four to $1400. A & P Anton & Son, Toongabbie, bought five rams to a $2200 top for lot 19, and Pipe Grange Pastoral, Glengarry, four to $2200 for lot 10. R & D Fawaz, Heyfield, took four to $1800 and AR & AJ Missen, Woodside, three to $2200.
What happens to the Pinora bloodlines now?
The stud sold a flock of 200 Poll Dorset ewes and five stud rams to emerging Tostaree breeders in April. The buyers, who own the Tarcoola Poll Dorset stud, plan to continue the Pinora legacy, using the ewes as a breeding base for their seedstock operation. They have announced they will hold a sale at Sale next year.
Was this the family's only stud?
No. In August 2024 the same operation revealed it would close its Angus stud after 77 years, holding its final bull sale in March last year. The Poll Dorset sale closes the remaining sheep enterprise. A long-serving agent who has worked with the stud since its first sale said he was extremely sad to see it come to an end.
