FROM the overflowing carpark to the packed buyers' race, it was obvious that sheep were going to be hard to buy at Ballarat today. 

Bids were thick and fast from a massive crowd and topped at $258 for 2009-drop first cross ewes, $200 for ewe lambs and $204 for older ewes across a yarding of about 12,000.

The top pens of first cross 2009-drop ewes fetched $50 more compared to the same sale last year while the second and thirds runs were $80 and up to $100 better in places.

The Harrington family achieved the sale's top price of $258 with Doug and Pauline Boatman of Elmshurst close behind on $256.

The Boatmans use the Avolyn stud rams and sold similar stock at last year's sale for $200.

"This is the best price we've ever had. It's nice to see rewards; we'll be back next year with another 300," Mr Boatman said.

Also breaking the $250-mark was Bob and Frances Lubcke of Winchelsea with a pen of Leonella-blood ewes sold for $252 (compared to $211 for comparable stock sold in January).

"I said I wanted $250 and I think the agent thought I was mad - we are very pleased," Mr Lubche said.

The bulk of the 2009-drop first cross ewes sold from $220 to $240 with odd, smaller pens down to $200.

Older ewes sold from $150 (for five year-olds) to $204 for a pen of three year-olds, October shorn, from Hillview.

In the ewe lamb pens, Mortlake Nominees from Campbelltown achieved the best price of $200 with ewes by the Elite Rodborough rams.

"Last year we got $140, but I was hoping and expecting we'd get to $200 today," principal Craig Mortlake said.

Several other drafts of ewe lambs cleared from $170 with the second runs selling from $150 upwards.

Almost without exception, the entire yarding returned to buyers from Ballarat and nearby districts.

Agent Bernie Nevins bought 1000 first cross 2009-drop ewes for clients all within 50 kilometres of Ballarat.

Some will go to producers who have moved away from breeding Merinos and now need to buy replacement ewes and others will replace old ewes recently sold for about $120, Mr Nevins said.

The same producers were selling prime lambs into a market returning $125 to $150 for good trade weights, he added.

"The sheep presented well, but were showing the effects of a wet and cold winter and yet that did not reflect in the prices one little bit."

"There were a lot of people with $190 to $210 to spend today that went home with nothing," Mr Nevins said.

At least they had a block's walk back to the car to think about it.