About 1600 cattle - mostly Angus, Hereford and Angus-cross heifers and steers - were on sale at the annual Upper Clutha On-Farm Calf sale last week.
The sale was launched after the closure of the Cromwell Saleyards in 2016.
Torrential rain and low-hanging fog welcomed bidders and their entourages at the start of the sale in Mt Aspiring.
PGG Wrightson Otago livestock manager John Duffy, of Alexandra, said although the rain was heavy, it was much warmer than the only other time it was wet in the history of the event, when snow was low on the mountains.
"It was so cold you struggled to hold on to your pencil."
About 100 people attended the sale this year, which he believed was a record.
"There was a hell of a crowd."
Buyers this year came from "far and wide", mostly between Southland and South Canterbury and included a group from the Waikato.
The North Islanders were impressed with the quality of the cattle on offer and the size of the lines, including a pen of 120 cattle.
The first stop at the sale was Mt Aspiring Station, a 2300ha property more than 40km northwest of Wanaka.
Mt Aspiring Station owner Randall Aspinall said he was happy with the full clearance of his nearly 200 heifers and steers on offer.
Prices for the top calves were on par with last year and the rest fetched better prices than last year.
"It was a good sale."
The second stop was at 5500ha property Matukituki Station, about 10km on the road back to Wanaka.
"We cleared the decks."
All the cattle sold for prices above the reserve.
"It was a good day for us."
The cattle on offer were a mix of Angus, Hereford and Angus-cross and included 230 rising two-year-olds.
Local farmers bought many of the bigger cattle on offer.
"They should have them finished nice and quickly and make some good money out of them."
A "stunning" autumn in the Upper Clutha area had provided great conditions for growing feed on farm.
The number of people at the sale was "outstanding".
West Wanaka Station owner James Cochrane said he had a full clearance of the 300 Angus and Angus-cross steers on offer.
Last year, he offered heifers but decided to hold on to them after bidding did not reach the reserve price.
This year he did not offer any heifers and has decided to finish them himself on a farm in Hawea.
The $1095 paid for his top calves was "back a wee bit" on his expectations but the smaller calves fetched more than he had anticipated.
The fourth stop was at 4200ha property Alpha Burn Station near Glendhu Bay.
Alpha Burn Station owner Duncan McRae said he offered 220 calves and all but 20 heifers sold.
He believed a reason for demand softening for the heifers was the ban on live animal exports.
The average price for the steers was $900, up $90 on last year
"We are very happy with the way they sold."
Hillend Station stock manager Richard Pledger said his station offered 90 Angus calves - 50 steers and 40 heifers - and got a full clearance.
The top pen of steers sold for $980, which was up on prices last year.
Overall the average prices for calves of $817 was on a par with the prices fetched last year.
Also on offer at Hillend Station were calves from four other Cardrona farms - The Larches, Highlandburn, Run 505 and Spots Creek Station.
A pen of 25 Angus steers from The Larches fetched the top price paid for cattle at any of the five stops, $1120.
"It was a good day out," Mr Pledger said.
