By CHRISTOPHER RYAN OEHRLI

For the Washington Daily News

 

A Bath resident earned his auctioneering degree from a top school just a few days after graduating high school.

Isaiah Boyd, who graduated from Northside High School on June 9, earned the title “Colonel” from the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa, a week and some days later.

“I’ve always been interested in auctioneering,” he said. “I’d been putting (going to the college) off for years. I’d say, ‘I’ll do it next year, I’ll do it next year.’”

Boyd started selling mules and horses online when he was 15, a hobby that put money in his pocket and eventually led to his attendance of the college. Even today on Facebook, Craigslist and horse-vendor websites like EquineNow, he puts up listings, finds buyers and arranges haulers to transport them around the country.

“It’s a pretty interesting little side hustle,” Boyd said.

The college lasted at a convention hotel from June 16 to 24. Though it was only a few days, students stayed busy while they were there, “hitting the ground running” from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, he said.

There, 25 professional instructors schooled him and others on auctioning in real estate, benefit and charity fundraisers, automobiles, farm equipment and antiques, according to a press release from the college. In addition, Boyd learned about business management, technology, marketing, networking, online auctions and the development of an auction chant and bid calling.

The National Auctioneers Association names the World Wide College in Iowa on its list of recognized schools.

Part of the training involved calling a public auction sale.

“The college itself was second to none,” said Boyd. “And they’re great people.”

Many instructors at the college were past graduates.

Boyd’s first auction will be for Beaufort County United Way, said his mother, Robin Boyd.

“There are lots of fundraising opportunities open to him now,” she said.

Her son hopes he may be able to make it a regular avenue for work:

“I’m gonna see where it goes,” said he said. “I’m going to get my feet wet and go from there.”