If I told myself six months ago that I was going to be auctioning, I wouldn't believe myself at all.

[chanting] Yep!

Your capability to sell an item.

Their ability to get on stage and command that room.

Sold!

It's like a feeling of accomplishment, almost.

So many people still to this day don't know what auctioneers truly do.

They always say, “Oh, you talk fast?” “You do the blah, blah blah blah blah?” Or they say, “Oh, is, is that, kinda something you dabble in?

Is that a hobby you like?” Im like, “No, this is my full time career, and this is a great pathway.

This is a viable option.

You can do wonders in this field, and you can help people and give back.

And I think that that's really where the Colorado Auctioneers Association where they kind of came up with the idea, “Hey, why can't we just do an FFA contest?

Its the FFA Auctioneering CDE.

Its a “Career Developmental Event.” Our goal is to bring them in and show them what it takes to put on an auction.

Thank you all for coming.

We cannot thank you enough for your support of our program throughout this past year.

We're at Douglas County High School.

We're helping facilitate their “Hired Hand” auction.

...and ring help will be Franklin Lobello.

Not all 16, 17, 18 year-olds get to dress up on a normal Wednesday night, and these things are kinda of really cool experiences to be able to have.

[chanting] Put your paddles in the air.

25!

50!

Franklin and Natalie have done a fabulous job, but we've worked several events together where I'm saying specific things in my chant to them that the audience has no idea about.

Shake, your, head, yes.

Like an auctioneer's chant is kind of like the first stepping stone of becoming an auctioneer.

Some call it a cattle rattle.

You can call it a bid call, but it's the numbers and the filler words that we put into our speech, into our chant.

Now 80 dollars... [chanting] Yes!

[chanting] Sold it!

Right up front, $700!

Number 1-0-9 700!

Dollar now one, Thats like the basic you start.

$1 now, 2 now, $2 now 3 now, $3 now 4 now, $4 now, 5.

It's individualized to every auctioneer, and it's kind of cool to be able to hear the individual auctioneers learn their chants.

$100 now can I get $100?

Yep!

I like “make it.” I like “bid to get.” When you roll it, it can be like, “10, now... [chanting] And then “would you give” is another get one.

My first time, I did not feel like I belonged there.

I was never too familiar with like, female auctioneers.

Being in the realm, I've met a lot of women, so it brings me a sense of accomplishment to be trying to kind of follow their footsteps.

It doesn't matter the background you have or the experience, you can always develop it, and then you get to get to go out in the real world and meet very nice people that do want to help you, and encourage you to be the best you can.

Sold!

Buyer 109!

[clapping]