Apollo Auctions leaves its mark on Australasian Auctioneering Championships

The Apollo Auctions team of auctioneers were out in force at the recent Australasian Auctioneering Championships (AUSTROS) with more than a third of all competitors from the agency, including two of the finalists. 

The strong showing is perhaps not a surprise given Apollo Auctions Director Justin Nickerson is the only Australian to win the Australasian auctioneer of the year three times in the history of the award.

He is also a five-time winner of the REIQ Auctioneer of Year award, again being the only auctioneer in that state to achieve the distinction.

Robert Tulp from Apollo New Zealand and Luke Banitsiotis from Apollo Victoria both competed strongly in the final, with Mr Tulp named the runner-up after the final auction call. New Apollo Auctions Victoria recruit Andy Reid was pipped at the post for a place in the finals. 

Mr Nickerson has been growing his stable of expert auctioneers for nearly 10 years, with Apollo Auctions now numbering 21 across the country and throughout New Zealand.

“I always believed our industry needed an independent auction agency to ensure both sales agents and vendors had access to the very best in the business who could help them achieve superior results,” he said.

“From establishing Apollo Auctions back in early 2013, our team has been growing every year to be the largest independent auction agency in Australasia.

“Since that time, we have called in excess of 15,000 property auctions – encompassing on-site and in-room, residential and commercial – and facilitated training in all states of Australia and regions of New Zealand.”

AUSTOS runner-up and director and auctioneer of Apollo New Zealand, Mr Tulp, has more than three decades in the real estate sector and has filled many roles during that time including sales consultant, manager, business owner, real estate mentor and auctioneer.

He has called auctions in the residential, rural, mortgagee and commercial fields as well as coaching and mentoring sales consultants, managers, business owners and auctioneers, in the art of auction.

“I take part in auction competitions for a couple of reasons – it helps keep my skillset sharp to help my clients in the everyday work that we do as auctioneers, but I also like to be involved as it keeps me in touch with the auctioneer fraternity. It’s always good to hear what’s happening, what’s working, and what’s not in other parts of Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Tulp said. 

“As a competitor, the AUSTROS final this year was a great challenge numerically and also with the specific scenario that we were given to navigate. I always enjoy an opportunity to showcase my skillset but also see what areas need work to take myself to the ‘next level’.”

 
AUSTROS Apollo competitors 

Robert Tulp – Apollo NZ – Finalist and Runner Up

Luke Banitsiotis – Apollo VIC – Finalist

Andy Reid – Apollo VIC – Competitor

Greg Allan – Apollo QLD – Competitor

Mark MacCabe – Apollo QLD – Competitor