SACRAMENTO, CA - 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 $22 million auction was conducted by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers 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 $4.8 million of trucks and equipment.

A longstanding Ritchie Bros. customer, Dante Ghilotti sold close to $1.5 million of equipment and purchased another $2 million worth in the Sacramento auction as part of an overall fleet upgrade.

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 www.rbauction.com.