Anyone need a mechanical bull? Ranchman's relics up for auction

Calgary — Ranchman's barstools can now be yours.

The iconic Calgary honky-tonk's furniture and equipment was put up for auction Tuesday by Edmonton auctioneer Stewart Belland Sales.

Anyone interested in claiming a piece of the historic club's inventory is invited to log on and place a bid.

There are a number of different listings, featuring barstools, picnic tables, Ranchman's swag, various neon signs of well-known brands of booze, kitchen appliances, speakers, nightclub equipment and other things, including some of the more idiosyncratic items that could only have come from Ranchman's.

"A large amount of interest is in the one mechanical bull we have posted," said Stewart Belland's Robert Klatt, in an email.

All of the gear is still in Calgary, and bidders will be able to view it in person Friday, January 8. Winning bidders will have to pick up their merch a week later, on January 15.

Rob Campbell, the realtor tasked with finding another tenant for the Ranchman's location on Macleod Trail South, said that the majority of the saddles and other memorabilia that Ranchman's was famous for have been returned to their owners.

Only three or four saddles remain he said, but that's only because the owners are stuck in remote locations like Australia and the U.S. and haven't been able to pick them up yet.

"We were lucky to have Wendy here," he said, referring to Wendy Daniels, the longtime Ranchman's employee who worked there for 38 years, and who was able to reconnect almost all the memorabilia with its rightful owners.

"She got most of the stuff back to people," he said.

As far as barstools and picnic tables - and even a mechanical bull - Campbell said Calgarians were welcome to "pay five bucks and buy the barstool you sat your ass on for a lot of nights at Ranchman's."