From chatty boy to rambling man

By Nadine Eagles-Harvie

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

Like tongue twisters? Try repeating them over and over for days at a time. That’s what it takes to become a genuine fast talker, on the auctioneer podium, that is.

Learning to ‘ramble’ may seem an unlikely ambition for a young man but the knack came naturally to 20-year-old Lindsey Greenough. The Greenfield farmer recently graduated from the World Wide College of Auctioneers in Iowa, which has trained many world champions since it opened 75 years ago.

Greenough has never been at a loss for words and even during this interview he couldn’t resist showing off his linguistic skills.

The auctioneers chant, he said, is like a whole different language, a secret code, so to speak that takes dedication to perfect. “It’s a lot of work to learn. I had to do a lot of tongue twisters and practice the chant for hours every day. You have to develop the ability to move your mouth faster and develop rhythm.”

After the nine-day intensive course Greenough says he’s ready for the podium. His first appearance as a fully licensed auctioneer was a benefit auction for the WHMS Brazil exchange program, Feb 6 at the Kingsway Gardens in Windsor. “When I got home I realized how much I still had to improve but I think I am ready now to ramble a bit.”

Greenoughs primary passion is dairy farming and he hopes to have a future at the family farm. He is currently working toward a diploma in Enterprise Management with a special in dairy at the Truro Agricultural College.

As a sideline auctioneering fits well with farming, he said. “Most professional auctioneers have a specialty and since my long-term interest is in dairy cow sales, this could really come in handy.”

As a long-standing 4-H member Greenough took an interest in auctions at an early age. He was chatty young boy who enjoyed public speaking. “I thought about it for some time. As a member of the 4-H club I’ve been around auctions for a long time and I just sort of picked it up. At first I thought I could do it part-time but now I see there is a real market for auctioneers.”

He has considered car auctions and benefit auctions and perhaps one day even starting a company. “Right in this area there aren’t a lot of professional auctioneers. The auctioneering trade needs more young people to carry on the tradition.”

The average age at the college was 40-45 and only five students were Greenoughs age group. “There is something special in an auction that you can’t get in a store. It’s the story the auctioneer tells that draws people.” “Another beautiful thing about consigning items to auction is the ability to cash in on an item, quickly.  If you need some cash, and have some unused items or collectables, than an auction may be the best place for them.”

To be a successful auctioneer you need more than the ability to fast talk customers, however.

Auctioneering requires people skills and honesty, he said. “You need to know when to say ‘no’ to an auction item and choose pieces and prices wisely.”

You also need to connect with the people, he adds. “It is like a performance, you need to draw the people in if you plan to sell successfully.”

Greenough says he still gets stage fright when he hits the podium. “They told us at the college, ‘if you’re not nervous you’re not doing a proper auction’.”

Ultimately, Greenough is committed to the farm, but don’t be surprised to see plenty of him on the auction circuit. “Right now I think it will be fun- I’m going to put my all into it and do the best I can and see where it leads.”