Strong competition across higher rainfall areas of western Victoria as well as buying from NSW boosted values at the Wycheproof sheep sale.

Elder yarded 8058 Border Leicester-Merino-cross ewes and Merino ewes and wethers that attracted a good crowd.

Buyers came from Geelong, Hamilton, Casterton, Horsham, Nhill, Bendigo, Seymour, Ballarat, Cohuna, Shepparton and local areas.

Good rains in areas of the central west of NSW saw two pens go to Forbes.

Top of the sale was set wit the first pen of 142 first-cross ewes, sold account Sterling Partnership, that were April/May 2018-drop, scanned-in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams. They sold for $382 to HF Richardson, Ballarat.

The same buyer paid $378 for a pen of 167 ewes, 2018-drop, depastured to Aussie White rams, sold account Nedna.

Nedna had the top pen of 2019-drop, unjoined first-cross ewes, with a line of 193 March/April drop, October shorn, that went for $356.

Elders Boort's Greg Boyd, said cross bred sheep sold exceptionally well while the best Merinos were stronger and the balance "on a par" with sales late in 2019.

He said there was a good run 2019-drop first-cross ewes with the better types, closer to joining, making $300 to $356 with the second run making $230 to $300.

Joined Merino ewes topped at $285 were exceptional sheep and the balance sold between $210 to $270.

He said there were three really good pens of four-year-old Merinos $242 to $276, for scanned-in-lamb ewes for an April lamb.

Unjoined ewes sold to $270 with the balance making $160 to $190.

Mr Boyd said the top pen of wethers sold for $176 with the balance making $130 to $154. The best of the wether lambs made $161 and the next best was $142.

Springlake Farming sold two lines of April/May 2019-drop ewes, NSM, with the lead pen of 224 selling for $348 and the next pen of 232 making $300.

A pen of 204 August/September 2019-drop ewes, January shorn, sold account D White sold for $280.

Harris Partners sold two pens of first-cross ewes, July/August 2019-drop, that sold to $278 for 177 and a second line of 290 sold for $232. These pens went to Hamilton and Casterton respectively.

Tops of the Merino ewes was a line of 337 sold account Juliette Pty Ltd. The July/August 2018-drop ewes, were Glenalba blood, sanned-in-lamb to White Suffolks, October shorn, and sold for $285.

Three lines of Merino ewes sold account GJ & CJ McGurk were May/June 2018-drop, November shorn, depastured to Poll Dorsets, with the lead pen of 209 making $220 and 208 in a second pen selling for $210.

A line of 297 Merino ewes, July/August 2018-drop, December shorn, NSM, sold account Vinelee for $270.

GR & A Coatsworth, Wycheproof, offered a line of 210 Merino ewes, June/July 2015-drop, September shorn and depastured to Poll Dorset rams, that sold for $276.

Another line of 2015-drop ewes sold account WJ Watts, sold for $276

An Elders Birchip account paid $160 for a pen of 275 Merino ewes, June/July 2019-drop, November shorn, and sold account MJ Foott.

In the wether run the top price was $176 by processors for a pen of 405 Merinos, May/June 2018-drop, October shorn, offered account T & GA Simpson, Winjallok. Another line of 178 account the same breeder sold for $154.

A pen of 222 Merino wethers sold account P Stewart, June/July 2019-drop, Keri Keri blood, October shorn, sold for $161.

Gulthul Station sold Merino wethers with a line of 361 May/June 2019-drop, October shorn, selling for $142.

Calder Park sold two lines of wethers, September/October 2018-drop, January shorn, with the lead pen of 331 making $140 and a second line of 405 making $136.