<p>Journey to the Inaugural Saratoga Auto Auction Fall 2017</p><p>By Jeff Whiteside Auction Director</p><p>Chapter 1 – Hunting Great Cars First of all, I would like to thank the SAM team for providing me the opportunity to lead and build the Saratoga Auto Auction with them and our community of car enthusiasts. After enjoying many years in the auto industry and especially after working at RM Auctions, it became evident to me that our venue at SPAC, in conjunction with the Museum, would be a world class environment to hold a major car auction event. Our intension is that the Saratoga Auto Auction Fall 2017 will be the first of many to follow.</p><p>One of the first, and most challenging, parts of producing an auto auction is the hunt for special consignments. Great vehicles will result in a great auction! The quantity of vehicles at an auction can range from 3,000 at Mecum in Kissimmee to 40 at an exclusive RM Sotheby’s Auction in NYC. Our current target number is ~175 for our Fall 2017 Auction. </p><p>In January, I attended the winter auctions held in Florida and Arizona. At the high volume end, Mecum put on a massive show in Florida and Barrett Jackson was the main event in Scottsdale. Gooding, RM, and Bonhams all sold significant collectors cars in the Phoenix area. My goal was to introduce our auction to the industry, meet with consignment sources, and come back with the best auction practices for our show. My time was well spent and the announcement of our auction was received very positively throughout the industry.</p><p>In the first 3 months of this year, I have spent significant time on the road hunting for cars and meeting with their owners. With an initial focus on the Northeast region for consignments, my travels have taken me to Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and all over the state of New York. It is amazing to me how many great vehicles and collectors are located in our ‘backyard’.</p><p>My experience on the road representing our auction has been great. The positive feedback I am getting about the event and the willingness of owners to trust their prized vehicles with us has been extraordinary. Although there is still work to be done on the consignment end of the auction, we are very happy with the results to date and are confident that these great vehicles on the auction block will result in a great auction!</p><p>During the SAM Auction exhibit, we will proudly be displaying a select group of vehicles that have been consigned to the auction and will be auctioned on the stage of SPAC in September. As new consignments are added to the auction, they will be updated on our website www.saratogaautoauction.org and some will be rotated into the Museum exhibit. Please visit our website to learn more about the auction, view current consignments, consign vehicles, register as a bidder, and purchase tickets to the event. I invite you to enjoy the exhibit and I look forward to seeing you all in the Museum and at the Saratoga Auto Auction in September!</p><p>Best Regards - Jeff</p>