Auctioneer heading to national contest

GIFFORD – If you can't make out auctioneer Jim Hannagan's chatter, or "chant," between sales figures, don't feel bad. Even he doesn't know what he's uttering.

Hannagan, 41, of Gifford was named the state champion auctioneer at the Illinois State Fair on Tuesday and will advance to the International Auctioneer Championship at the National Auctioneers Association conference in Overland Park, Kan., next year.

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