Poll Dorset rams sold to a top of of $6750 and averaged $3500 in the 2020 Australasian Dorset Championships sale. For the first time the event was held online via the AuctionsPlus platform. ADC committee chair Robert Grieves said that due to the coronavirus restrictions it was decided to conduct the sale online, while cancelling the show part of the annual event.

He said that the organisation decided to open up the sale to all registered Poll Dorset breeders in Australia. "We got entries from studs who had never been involved at the Australasian before," he said. "It's put their studs out there and what sheep they have - we're glad we got up to that level of entries."

Top lot at $6750 was Rangeview 190007 offered by the Milroy family, Rangeview stud, Pipers Rivers, Tasmania, and was purchased by Janmac Pastoral Co, Goroke, Vic. The June 2019-drop ram was described by the vendor as a "powerful ram with a fantastic Dorset head, depth of body and dense wool".

Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) figures for the top priced ram included weaning weight of +10 kilograms, post-weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) of +0.6, post weaning weight (PWT) of +15kg, post-weaning fat depth (PFAT) of -0.7 and a terminal carcase production (TCP) of 128.4.

The same buyer paid $6000 for a ram from Paul Day, Faraday Park, Penguin, Tasmania. The ram was described as having "a great depth of body and hindquarters". It had figures for WWT of 9.8, PWT of 14.6, PEMD of 0.5 and TCP of 126.2.

Faraday also sold lot 17 that made $5250 and was bought by RA & JC Batters, Sutherland, Vic. The ram had been used in the stud as a ram lamb. It had figures of 11 for WWT, 16.6 PWT, 0.6 PEMD and a TCP of 129.7. The Faraday stud also sold two late May 2019 drop ewes for $800 each.

The Douglas family, Abelene Park, Woolomin, NSW, offered and sold three rams to a top of $6000 and averaged $4416. The $6000 ram was lot two which was purchased account Ryan, Yeoval, NSW. Lot two was a late August-drop ram with a WWT of 6.4, PWT of 9, PEMD of 0.7 and TCP of 124.6. They also sold lot one for $4250. The August-drop ram was born and reared as a twin. and had a WWT of 7.2 PWT of 10.6 and PEMD of 0.8. The ram was purchased for a Holman Tolmie, Cootamundra, NSW, account.

Rangeview also sold the equal top-priced sire in the Elite Stud Sheep Sale at the Adelaide Showgrounds in September.

In the Poll Dorset offering, three sires were offered, of which two sold, one at $19,000, and one at $17,000.

Rangeview principal Will Milroy said he was "on cloud nine" after the result.

"I knew they were special rams from day dot, I've been selective breeding for a long time, but they went way above my expectations, I thought if they sold mid-range I'd be happy," he said.

The $19,000 ram, Rangeview 190147, sold via AuctionsPlus to Wunnamurra Poll Dorsets, Jerilderie, NSW.

It was AI-sired by Hillcroft Farms 051699, with genetics from that particular sire having been used by the stud for 15 years. The sale-topper had Lambplan figures of 0.59 bodyweight, 11.43 weaning weight, 17.33 postWWT, -0.76Pfat, 2.99PEMD, with a Terminal Carcase Production index of 159.69 and a Lamb Eating Quality index of 160.99.

The $17,000 ram, Rangeview 190045, was bought by Bundara Downs, Western Flat, with stud principal Steve Funke admiring the sire for its correctness and muscling.