Brock on the Block
Photography Courtesy of Bruce Brock
Bruce Brock has been fast talking his way through life for 26 years. As the reigning world and international auction champ, be assured, he has the gift of gab.
Brock got his start auctioneering livestock on the flat Iowa plains at local farm and ranch shows. From there his business — Brock Auction Company — took on mega property sales, like farm and ranch land and big commercial and residential properties. But his favorite thing to auction is art. As an art collector, Brock takes a real interest in seeing which pieces on the block bring bidding to a feverish pitch.
Kimball Art Center Director Pam Crowe Weisberg attended a Montana art show a few years back and observed Brock engaging in the usual auctioneer chatter. She was sufficiently impressed to invite the fast talker to the annual Kimball Art Center show and fundraiser that kicks off the Park City Arts Festival. Brock’s initial “yes” now brings him every year to Park City where he finds the crowd amiable and willing to bid up prices. Brock has auctioned everything from a Union Pacific Railroad caboose to a Karl Malone pickup truck. We caught up with him on the road somewhere between a C.M. Russell art auction in Montana and a car auction in Minneapolis. He couldn’t quick talk his way out of answering just a few questions about auctioneering …
PC Mag: Does being an auctioneer take a lot of practice?
Brock: It takes hundreds and hundreds of hours. When I was competing, I would practice seven to eight hours a day, every day. I even set up a sound studio in my office.
PC Mag: What is it you strive to perfect?
Brock: Mostly, I’m an entertainer. I listen to auctioneers whose sound I like and try to emulate them. I try to be both rhythmic and easy to listen to. I try to be clear and distinct so people know what I’m saying, what I’m asking for. But sometimes I learn more from the auctioneers I don’t like to listen to. I try not to do what they do. It’s just an ongoing learning process.
PC Mag: Ever tried to fast talk your way out of a traffic ticket?
Brock: Ha. I wish I could. I get a lot of tickets, and I’d save a lot of money. That would make a good commercial.
PC Mag: Does auctioneering develop your ability to think quickly on your feet?
Brock: Yes, auctioneering does help. It takes me a matter of seconds to read a crowd and develop rapport. Sometimes I know when people are going to bid before they do, just by their body language. We do become quicker — not to be confused with smarter — thinkers. It all happens in a matter of seconds.
PC Mag: Do you ever find yourself at a loss for words?
Brock: Yes. But you manage. For auctioneers, this isn’t a job. It’s an event, and it’s our work to make it enjoyable and memorable. It truly is a labor of love for all of us.
Ann Johnson has lived in the Park City area since the mid-’90s. She’s the producer of the KPCW Mountain Money program and a regular contributor to Park City Magazine.
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