At the recent 2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships, Andre Briffa won first place in the coveted Schools competition.

Briffa told SCHWARTZWILLIAMS that his experience in public speaking and performance initially sparked his interest in auctioneering following a visit to his school from David Jackson of the REIT.

Briffa's win marks the second year in a row a contestant from Tasmania has won the Schools Auctioneering prize. Last year, Carlton Heres took home the prize.

Related content: Carlton Heres, from Tasmania, won the Schools Auctioneering Championship in 2016

Related content: Winner of the 2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships is Justin Nickerson

How did you first get interested in auctioneering?

A few months ago, a representative from the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania named David Jackson, an experienced auctioneer and real estate agent (with Roberts Real Estate) visited my school, Launceston Church Grammar School and pitched the auctioneering competition.

I have always been interested in public speaking and performing, however, I realised that this was something else again and it immediately grabbed my attention.

The thirty-second sample given to us at the presentation was exciting, intense, and most fascinatingly, totally on the spot. 

My previous experience has always been presenting prepared work, and, as I have come to learn, a good auctioneer is always prepared. However, the challenge and unpredictability of the bidding sequence proved something else again.

I got hooked to the adrenaline and excitement of thinking on your feet and multitasking. 

Image: Andre Briffa proudly displays his 2017 Schools Auctioneering Championship prize.

How did you prepare for the competition?
 
My preparation began a few months prior to the state competition, working with other students from my school with David Jackson, our mentor and coach.

We worked through the seven stages of an auction and prepared mock scripts selling our own homes. We also practised the bidding stage using fake bidding scripts and critiquing each other to help us improve.

After the state final, I worked more closely with David to fine tune my auction skills and prepare for the competition in Adelaide.

Upon arriving in Adelaide, we did our finishing touches to the auction and I went through my ‘pre-game’ ritual… a jog and a passionate rendition of ‘September’ in the shower.

Visit the 2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships web site.

What was the highlight of the event for you?

From the outset of the competition, my focus was upon treating the auction as a real environment and pushing for bids as if it was a real auction, with a real house and real vendors to represent.

Using this mentality, I put all my focus and energy into the auction and in a strange way, it made it more enjoyable.

My highlight was standing up there, totally in control of the bidding and with a very receptive crowd ready to engage with me.

It was a fantastic experience and something I will never forget.

The event also gave me the opportunity to see Adelaide and socialise with some fantastic people and industry professionals, all of whom had fascinating stories and advice for the future.

Do you hope to pursue a career as an auctioneer?

Absolutely! Whilst I am not currently sure what iteration that will take, either as a part-time job in an auction house or even as a house auctioneer, I am sure that it will feature somewhere in my future and that is a very exciting prospect.

I have scheduled some charity auctions soon and I eagerly await the opportunity to exercise my skill and relive that exhilarating and addicting rush of auctioneering. 

Visit the 2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships web site.

Read more about the 2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships:

Winner of the 2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships is Justin Nickerson

2017 Australasian Auctioneering Championships Finalists

Justin Nickerson is Australasian Auctioneer of 2016