The LVD World Auctioneering Championships return to Queenstown for the fourth time from tomorrow.
Chasing titles in novice, senior and open categories, 40 real estate auctioneers from New Zealand and Australia will be put through their ‘calling’ paces over three days.
The event’s the brainchild of Auckland real estate guru/chief judge Mark Sumich and his business partner, Julia Rust, who believed an extra comp would hone the skills of auctioneers ahead of the annual Real Estate Institute of NZ champs and ensuing Australasian champs.
The competition also includes a masterclass, while Rust says auctioneers also learn by watching other practitioners in action.
As for the title, ‘LVD’ stands for ‘learn, visualise, develop’, and while it might sound presumptuous to call an Australasian event a ‘world champs’, Rust says their ambition’s to ‘‘take it to the world’’, with Queenstown acting as a drawcard to entice international auctioneers.
‘‘We definitely want that ‘world’ component, but Covid’s obviously slowed us down.’’
The event’s main sponsor is Auctions LIVE, which will livestream it.
Competitors who qualify for Tuesday’s finals will get to call auctions from a mystery local home — till then, the event venue’s the Rydges hotel.
The defending two-time open title-holder is Bayleys’ national auction manager, Conor Patton, who calls Bayleys’ local auctions.
