Regular buyers underpin Edenhope

About 11,000 head of south-western district-bred 2013-drop young ewes mostly made $165 to $196 before topping at $203 for a small pen of one-year-olds. Joinable ewe lambs made $130 to $182, with restocker drafts $95-$120.

A large attendance of repeat buyer support underpinned the sale from the Vic Western Districts, the Mallee and local West Wimmera, Vic, and Lower South East. And an order from Yea trucked sheep to north- eastern Vic.

Rodwells' David Hanel said prices were helped as that all sheep were mulesed and Gudair-vaccinated.

Some lots offered vendor biosecurity accreditations which provided access into SA.

Mr Hanel said the yardings' good bloom and size-for-age was attributed to feed quality which arose when the spring season closed-off quickly.

Before the sale Mr Hanel acknowledged the passing of two district stalwarts - stock agent Kevin Forster and grazier John Warner. Both were big supporters of the Edenhope livestock scene.

The market top of $203 was achieved for a small pen of 68 1yo ewes, August/September-drop, offered by RT&SJ McClure, JS&EM Staude and MR&JY Hancock sold pens of 1.5yo ewes at $196.

DT&BJ Hill and KW&SM Colliver sold pens of 1.5yo ewes at $192, as sales of 2013-drop ewes averaged $179.90.

Lines of better-grown 2014-drop ewe lambs were also fiercely contested at rates above expectation.

P&L Skinner, Ozenkadnook, Vic, sold a pen of 200 May/June-drop and October-shorn at $182 to Elders Hamilton, Vic, and Landmark Warrnambool, Vic, bid $180 to secure a line of 309 May/June-drop offered by the West family, Westwood, Vic, McKenzie and Deardon sold an April/May-drop and August-shorn pen at $178, and TW&JM Colliver sold its lead draft pen of 231 at $168.

Ewe lamb sales av $124.75 as a strong component of second-draft pens made $120-$150 and restocker pens $95-$115.

The sale was conducted by Rodwells Edenhope and Driscoll, McIllree & Dickinson Nhill, Vic.