Selling Big - Season 1

Records are made to be broken, and this season Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers are gunning to prove just that. Kicking off the Canadian auction season at their Grande Prairie, Alberta location as they begin their quest to break their billion dollar Canadian-division record from 2012. Senior vice president, Kevin Tink, rallies his team to dig deep for big results. With acres of heavy machinery ready to hit the ramp, everyone puts their game face on to ensure the dollars roll in on auction day.

Ritchie Bros. take business on the road for this episode, travelling to rural Drayton Valley, Alberta where farmers Len and Vicki Paulson are downsizing their possessions in preparation for retirement. They take on the hefty task of selling the Paulson's land, farm equipment and even their Jet Ski. The pressure is on as the proceeds of this auction will finance the Paulson's retirement. Fighting through mud, inclement weather, and high stakes is just another day on the job for this auction team.

Breaking last year's billion dollar total sales in Canada means that the team at Ritchie Bros. needs top results in this, their biggest Canadian auction of the year. But there is another record on everyone's mind. In this same spring sale last year, this site sold a record breaking $108 million in just three days. They want to blow the doors off that tally, but the fast pace of the auction puts pressure on the yard staff to keep heavy machinery flowing past the theatre full of buyers.

With day two of the year's biggest Canadian auction looming, Ritchie Bros. yard staff is busy at work making sure the equipment is in top shape. From fresh coats of paint to perfectly angled photos and realigned crane boom cables, it's all hands on deck as they put their best foot forward to get top dollar for each and every machine. With big ticket items like a rare 1984 Husky all-terrain vehicle, motor scrapers and crane trucks ready to go, buyers are swarming and the auction staff is hoping they'll make a strong surge towards their $108 million goal.

It's the third and final day of Ritchie Bros.' biggest auction of the year in Edmonton, Alberta. Three classic cars will be crossing the ramp to be sold today and car enthusiasts are flocking to the auction to get a look at these beautiful antiques. Meanwhile, the husband and wife team of Tim and Nattalie Cabay are hoping to pull in some big bucks for their retirement by putting some heavy machinery in the auction. With Ritchie Bros.' sales record and their retirement dreams on the line, this final day is going down to the wire.

It's another farm auction for the Ritchie Bros. team as they travel to Wembley, Alberta. But this agriculture auction is unique. Three antique farm equipment collectors have come together to put on a sale that is sure to draw a crowd. The only thing threatening the success of this small town event is the forecast for thunderstorms!

It's June in Alberta, and for Ritchie Bros. Grande Prairie team that means its forestry season. Day one of this two day auction boasts the most impressive rows of processors, feller bunchers, grapple skidders and log loaders this site has ever seen. And it's all thanks to two consigners: Roy Isley who is re-aligning his fleet and Stan Neudorf who is shutting down his forestry division to focus on gold mining. Regional Sales Manager, Blair Gogowich sets his sights on an aggressive sales goal and rallies the team to maximize dollars as top notch gear rolls across the ramp.

It's the second day of the auction in Grande Prairie, Alberta. For Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the pressure is on to maximize dollars and reach their auction target of thirty-four million dollars. With 20 million on the books from day one, they are hoping that a heavy iron line-up of excavators, rock trucks and specialized logging transport trucks can take them over the top. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, Senior Vice President Kevin Tink knows the outcome of this sale will help keep them on track to break last year's Canadian sales record of one billion dollars.

For Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, chasing a goal of a billion dollars in sales in Canada means maximizing all the sales territories across the country. Rookie Territory Manager Sam Webber pioneers a newer territory in Winnipeg, Manitoba where their auction presence is less known. Sam embraces the challenge of running an auction in a location without a permanent facility known as an 'off-site' sale. This auction is full of first-timer sellers and buyers, but the Ritchie Bros. team is up for the challenge.

After thirty years in the industrial excavation business, Ken Palson has decided to retire and sell his entire fleet of heavy yellow iron. Territory Manager Sam Webber leads the auction army into Ken's yard where the 'off-site' sale will be hosted. One of Ken's flagship machines, the long reach excavator, is sure to draw some attention. This massive iron is one of only a handful in the province. It's sure to be an emotional day for Ken, saying goodbye to his business and learning if his investment in yellow will pay off for his retirement.

Stunning views of the mountains are the signature for this Ritchie Bros. site in Chilliwack, BC. It's a small scenic yard but it still fills with top, late model iron for each auction. Consignor Ricky Dhatt, owner of KeyWest Asphalt, is selling a loader backhoe at the sale and custom landscaper Noel Peters has decided to unload his multi-terrain loader. Both sellers are counting on Ritchie Bros. to rake in a healthy profit for their gear. This auction also puts yard staff to the test with a stalled excavator on the ramp during the heat of auction action.

Edmonton's two-day auction is shaping up to be its biggest September auction yet. With an unmatched cross-section of iron, from pipelayers to crawler tractors, and even a trolley bus, this auction is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Yard worker, Ray Ray is pumped when a massive dozer used in the oil patch arrives. Mid-way through the auction another large dozer stalls on the ramp, threatening to stop the auction in its tracks. Some fast thinking and quick action by the team gets it moving so the auction can proceed at its usual rapid pace.

Trucks, trucks and more trucks! Day two of Ritchie Bros.' September auction in Edmonton is all about transportation. On the heels of a great first day which brought in $32 million, it's now up to the huge collection of trucks and trailers to bring in more big bucks. With 42-year veteran Bill Armstrong selling his large fleet of logging machinery and a rare one-of-a-kind recycling train used in major road construction work up for grabs, bidding heats up. With less than 50 Canadian auctions remaining for the year, Ritchie Bros. inches closer to their national billion dollar sales target.