Pinnacle Pocket stud, established in 2006 by Peter Spies, is the first registered Senepol stud established in the coastal tropics north of Rockhampton and only registered stud in Far North Queensland. Pinnacle Pocket breed fertile purebred Senepol and Senepol composite (Senegus and Senemaster) cattle.

Recently, Peter's son, Tom, has returned to breeding purebred Droughtmaster cattle, after a hiatus since 2015, and has commenced "Pinnacle Droughtmasters".

We are based on the Atherton Tablelands, west of Cairns at Glen Allyn, east of Malanda on the North Johnstone River. Our cattle are run on high rainfall country, near Mt Bartle Frere, Queensland's highest mountain. It is here we apply selection pressure on our breeders for fertility and insect resistance.

Our bulls are paddock-raised and not fed up for sale. We sell out of the paddock thereby lowering the cost to buyers. Southern seedstock operations cannot apply the same selection pressure as we can in this environment, with our tick, buffalo fly, nutrition and tropical heat/humidity issues. Southern-bred cattle may not be adapted to the North Queensland Environment and can go backwards in condition or take significant time to adapt.

In producing cattle, we follow best-practice commercial husbandry including early weaning, controlled mating and pregnancy testing with cows having to produce a calf every year. Our branding rate is typically over 90%. All calves are raised from weaning, on the Tablelands, and the stud applies strong selection criteria to retained bulls and replacement heifers with emphasis on polledness, sheath, testicles, slick coat, fertility, temperament and structural correctness.

The stud has won some of the highest awards and commendations through the Queensland show circuit since 2009, including Grand Champion Senepol Female Beef 2024. Grand Champion Senepol Bull and Female Brisbane RNA Show 2025. Supreme Champion Beef exhibit Mackay 2025; Grand Champion Bull Yeppoon Show 2025. Supreme Champion of Cairns, Malanda and Atherton shows 2010, Tully 2009 and Grand Champion bull at the Atherton, Malanda and Cairns Shows in 2011. Both Junior and Senior Bull, Grand Champion, and Supreme Champion bulls at Cairns and Atherton shows 2024; Junior Champion Heifer at Cairns show 2024 and Breeders groups at Cairns, Malanda, Atherton and Beef 2024, and Mackay, Biloela, Yeppoon and Brisbane RNA in 2025. Cairns, Malanda and Atherton in 2010-2011.

Both stud and herd bulls are available for inspection throughout the year with the bulk of bulls rising two years of age in the spring/early summer of each year. We guarantee the fertility of our cattle - with most Pinnacle Pocket bulls being sold with a Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation performed by a certified veterinarian. Our cattle, bred for docility and fertility, are a pleasure to work with.

When not breeding cattle, Peter runs a rural consultancy business as a Soil Scientist and Agronomist.

Come and visit our herd for yourself.