News
85 Auctioneers to Vie for the Championship Title in the World's Largest Bid-Calling Contest
May 8, 2004
NAA Press Release
MADISON, WI, June 24 -- It promises to be entertainment at its finest. On Friday, July 16, a group of 85 auctioneers from throughout North America will face off in a bid-calling battle as the National Auctioneers Association hosts its 16th annual International Auctioneer Championship (IAC). The event will be held at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, Wis., as part of the 55th International Auctioneers Conference and Show.
Contestants will pump up the audience and a panel of judges with their smooth, perfected chants, auctioning three donated items during the event. They will be judged on the clarity, speed and rhythm of their chant, plus their appearance and poise, body language, and eye contact. The final phase of the competition includes an interview process to evaluate the communication skills of the chosen finalists.
The event will kick off at 9 a.m. with preliminaries for both the men's and women's divisions. The top finalists will be announced at 4 p.m. and the final bid-calling showdown will be from 7 to 10 p.m.
This year's contestants include both new and seasoned veterans of the industry. Among them are current state champions Roy Brewer of Hilliard, Fla., Marilyn Burns, GPPA, of Belgrade, Mont., and Jake Cheechov, of Sutherlin, Ore. Also competing are father and son, Art Smith and Noah Smith, of Cedar Springs, Mich. Sisters Alesha Russell, Prosser, Wash., and Camille Booker, Bothell, Wash., will be among the 22 women competitors, and their uncle, C.D. "Butch" Booker, of Colfax, Wash., will compete in the men's division.
Up for grabs are the men's and women's championship titles along with a $10,000 cash prize, championship trophy and signature ring. Winners will spend the coming year making public appearances and serving as ambassadors for the auction industry.
Spectators are invited to attend the event and get in on the bidding action. Those who cannot attend can listen and bid via the Internet through NAALive.com. To sign in or view a list of IAC competitors, go to htttp://www.auctioneers.org .
The IAC is one of several events taking place during the NAA's Conference and Show, July 13-17. Each year more than 1,200 auctioneers from throughout the world converge for the conference attending educational seminars focused on the business of auctioneering. With more than 7,000 members from throughout the world, the National Auctioneers Association is the largest organization of its kind dedicated to promoting the auction method of marketing and enhancing the professionalism of its members. Member benefits range from federal legislative representation to comprehensive continuing education programs, including coursework to earn the following professional auctioneer designations: Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI), Accredited Auctioneer, Real Estate (AARE), Graduate, Personal Property Appraiser (GPPA) and Certified Estate Specialist (CES). The organization was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kan.
