This year's annual Kyneton first-cross ewe sale continued to reflect the bouyant sheep market, with all selling agents saying vendors received higher prices than in 2018.
Kieran McGrath, McGrath Rodwells, said the sale kept pace with others around Victoria.
"I thought it was very solid, considering the condition of the sheep, and the tough time they have had," Mr McGrath said.
"Some of those ewe lambs that were joinable could have made a bit more money, when compared with the light, bare-shorn younger lambs."
M&M Ryan, Kilmore, sold the top-priced pen, 277 Border Leicester/Merino-cross September 2018-drop, November-shorn ewes, by Retallack rams, for $370 a head.
Buyers came from the local area, Bendigo, Ballarat, Mansfield and Benalla, with Landmark Leongatha particularly active on the early run of 1.5 year-old ewes.
Read more: Kyneton joined ewes to $336
Dean Coxon, Elders, said prices of $340-$370 for better sheep was "tremendous".
"I think the seconds found a level of anywhere between $300-$330, so once again, rapt with that," Mr Coxon said.
"We had a short, but good, spring, but before that it was terrible, we had a non-existent autumn, and a cold and wet winter."
He said good feed in the last 10 weeks had improved the condition of the draft that was offered.
"Our lambs were not huge, but nice types, and we had a lot of breeding in them, so we might have got a top of $304, so we were happy with that," he said.
John Robson, Landmark, agreed prices were up on last year, on a very good line up of sheep and buyers.
"Even the tail end ewe lambs made very good money, they made from $170, with a bit of a hole in the middle," Mr Robson said.
Amanda Foley, Darrendeen, Rochford, won the Geoff Keech Trophy for the best presented pen
She sold the 139 first-cross Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May/June 2018-drop, by Pina Border Leicester rams, out of Riverina ewes to Landmark, Kyneton, for $345.
Mr Coxon said the winning pen stood out, in the 8860 head yarding.
"They were beautifully shorn," Mr Coxon said.
"They were really well presented.
"They ticked all the boxes, they were big, long stretchy ewes, everything you'd like to see, in your first-cross sheep."
Geoff Younger, Sandside, Morundah, NSW, sold about 600 Border Leicester/Merino-cross ewes, 1.5 years- old, by Sandside bred rams, out of Riverina ewes.
His first pen of 126 ewes was bought for $364 by Brian McCormack, Landmark, Leongatha.
Mr Younger said he was moving from between Narrandera and Jerilderie, NSW, to the Kyneton area, due to dry conditions and uncertainty around irrigation.
His pen of 119 was sold for $335, to the McCarthy family, through Elders, Kyneton.
Among the 2019-drop ewe lambs, Cocketedong, Jerilderie, NSW, made $204 for a pen of 288 June/July-drop sheep.
A second pen of 371 sold for $198.
Anthony Barri, Glenhope, brought his grandson, Lachlan Gates, Montmorency, to the sale.
He sold ewes in 2018 but decided to hold onto some of his stock this year.
"I came over to see what I missed out on," he quipped.
John and Pam Phillips, Strathlea, sold 100 ewe lambs, after growing some good crops and grass on a late start to the season.
"It's not how much rain you get, it's when you get it," Mrs Phillips said.
Their pen of Border Leicester/Merino-cross May/June-drop ewe lambs sold for $202.
Springview, Kyneton, sold 42 June/July 2018-drop Border Leicester/Merino ewes for $310 to Rodwells, Kilmore.
Coliban Heights sold 217 July/August 2018-drop ewes for $295, to Elders Kyneton.
The Humpy Pastoral Company sold a pen of 123 May/June 2018-drop Tulagi-blood ewes for $178.