A battle of bids got underway in Calgary this weekend during the All Around Canadian Auctioneers Championship.

Brad Martens was one of the auctioneers competing to be named the fastest talker in Alberta.

He says tongue twisters taught him to find his rhythm.

“Another one was ‘rubber baby buggy bumper,’ and that's where we learned to get the rhythm, ‘rubber baby buggy bumper, five, five, 10, 10, 15, 20’,” said Martens.

The second generation auctioneer says he knew from an early age baiting the bidders from the auctioneer's block would be his fate.

“I grew up in the business, my dad's been an auctioneer for 45 years so grew up ever since a little boy going to the auctions,” said Martens.

Auctioneers from across the province were competing in Calgary this weekend. (Meghan Grant/CBC)

“When I was 19 I decided that's what I wanted to do for a career and went to auction school.”

The job has taken him all over the world.

“I've never woke up and said, ‘man I need to find another job, I don't like being an auctioneer.’ It's exciting, you get to meet new people all the time you get to sell new things, different things, it's just a really good job.”

Former Auctioneers’ Association of Alberta president Ron Victor says it takes a certain type to compete.

“You gotta be an outgoing person, a sales type, you gotta love people, working with people, you might have a bit of humour in you.”

Victor also explained auctioneer styles vary with the type of merchandise being sold.

“Large equipment, we got livestock guys here, automotive guys, general merchandise so the style of auctioning is a little bit different for every industry.”