REIA and REINZ’s best auctioneers are set to battle it out for the top title at the upcoming Australasian Auctioneering Championships.
The annual event, which will take place in Alice Springs from 6-9 September, is conducted jointly by the REIA and REINZ.
REIA president Neville Sanders said the Championships were first held in 1991 and was a contest between the real estate institutes of Tasmania and Victoria to showcase their best auctioneers.
“The concept was subsequently adopted by all the state/territory REIs and REINZ and has become the most prestigious event on the Australasian auctioneering calendar,” Mr Sanders said.
He said the Real Estate Institute of Victoria was the last to hold its state competition, with Harry Li crowned this year’s Victorian Senior Auctioneer of the Year.
“Last year, Harry became the first Victorian in a decade to win the Trans-Tasman competition, which had been won by New Zealand contestants seven times in the previous eight years,” Mr Sanders said.
The inaugural Australasian Auctioneering Schools Championships will be held on 8 September, in conjunction with the seniors’ event. It will showcase young and aspiring auctioneers, and will be contested by finalists from South Australia and Tasmania. The other states and territories and New Zealand will hold their own local competitions.
Winners will participate in the national competition in the future.
“I am sure that this year’s Championships is going to be one of the best ever with the Schools Championship competition learning from the masters and seeing a pathway into the profession,” Mr Sanders said.
[Related: New event to showcase young and aspiring auctioneers]