as each horse was led in under the glare of the neon lighting , the auctioneer , the redoubtable swinebroad from tennessee , would give the history of the horse and start the bidding at what he thought a likely figure , and run it up through the hundreds in a kind of rhythmic chant , catching , with the help of two dinnerr-jacketed men in the aisles , every nod or raised pencil among , the tiers of smartly dressed owners and agents .