SACRAMENTO, CA, Aug. 7 /EMWNews/ - A large selection of

late model heavy equipment attracted almost 1,400 online and on-site

bidders from 26 countries, including 37 U.S. states, to an unreserved

public auction in California yesterday, helping deliver strong returns for

sellers. The US$22 million auction was conducted by Ritchie Bros.

Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer,

at its permanent auction site in Sacramento on August 6, 2008. Almost 900

people registered to bid at the auction in person, including bidders from

as far away as Australia and Japan. Another 500 people registered to bid

online, live and in real time, using the Ritchie Bros. internet bidding

service rbauctionBid-Live. Internet bidders purchased US$4.8 million of

trucks and equipment.



    "We had an exceptional lineup of equipment in this auction and it drew

a lot of attention from our worldwide customer base," said Mike Johnston,

Ritchie Bros. Regional Manager. "The large selection of high quality

equipment, our commitment to fair and transparent auctions, and the choice

of convenient on-site or online bidding options brought in interested

buyers from across the States and around the world. We had very active

participation from bidders on-site and online, which resulted in strong

returns for our consignors. Our unreserved public auctions create a win-win

situation for both buyers and sellers of equipment."



    A longstanding Ritchie Bros. customer, Dante Ghilotti sold close to

US$1.5 million of equipment and purchased another US$2 million worth in the

Sacramento auction as part of an overall fleet upgrade.



    "I've been in this business for over 20 years, and I can always rely on

Ritchie Bros.," said Mr. Ghilotti. "They provide extremely consistent

service and do everything they can for their customers. You're treated the

same, whether you're selling a big package of iron or buying just one or

two pieces. I paid a fair price for the machines I bought, and I'm very

happy with the prices I got on the equipment I sold. Ritchie Bros. gives us

access to buyers from all over the world, people we'd never reach

otherwise. The number of foreign buyers at the auction helped keep the

prices strong on the equipment that isn't in so much demand locally."



    More than 200 consignors sold close to 1,000 items for the

construction, transportation and other industries in yesterday's auction.

Among the highlights: a large selection of late model equipment from

Arizona-based Schwab Sales LLC. Ritchie Bros. is conducting a complete

dispersal for Schwab, with hundreds of motor scrapers, wheel loaders,

hydraulic excavators, motor graders, articulated dump trucks and other

equipment items being sold in this and three upcoming auctions in Las

Vegas, NV (on August 15, 2008), Phoenix, AZ (August 21 & 22) and Salt Lake

City, UT (August 26). For more information, go to http://www.rbauction.com.

    About Ritchie Bros.



    Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. is the world's largest auctioneer of

industrial equipment, operating through over 110 locations in more than 25

countries around the world. The Company sells, through unreserved public

auctions, a broad range of used and unused industrial assets, including

equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the construction,

transportation, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum, marine,

real estate, and agricultural industries. The Company maintains a web site

at http://www.rbauction.com.



    Investors and potential investors should note that this information may



    not be indicative of the overall financial performance of the Company

for



    this or any period.