Get ready, the 2018 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship is just over a month away and it’s shaping up to be the best event ever! The World of Concrete’s hottest attraction just got hotter by raising the stakes for the 28 bricklayers traveling to Las Vegas to compete for the title “World’s Best Bricklayer”.
As if winning a new Ford F-250 Super Duty XLT 4x 4 truck isn’t enough, by claiming the “SPEC MIX Top Craftsman” award one of the highly skilled masons also has a chance at owning a John Deere Gator XUV835 Utility Vehicle! With a total purse valued at nearly $125,000 the event is regarded world-wide as the masonry industry’s version of the NFL’s Super Bowl. Read all about it in the 2018 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship digital magazine!
The kickoff takes place on Wednesday, January 24th at 12:15pm in the Bronze Lot—the competition moved from the Convention Center’s Gold Lot—where WOC attendees are invited to the Masonry Madness Arena to see an amazing display of skill, speed and stamina. The 60-minute competition consists of 28 teams comprised of 1 bricklayer and 1 mason tender working together to build a 26 ft. 8 in., double-wythe brick wall as high as possible while following the event’s strict 10-point system for quality workmanship. A team’s final brick count may be adjusted down if the panel of judges detects workmanship infractions in the construction of the wall.
Entering its 16th season, the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 is credited with rallying its membership base, promoting masonry construction and recruiting young talent to the craft. Of the 28 competitors battling in the 2018 World Championship the average age of the bricklayers is 35. This marks the first time in the event’s history that over 70% of the roster is under the age of 35, with the 23 being the lowest. Records show the youngest bricklayer to ever win first place was 23- year old Garrett Hood of Monroe, NC. In comparison the oldest was 56-year old Jerry Goodman of Blythewood, South Carolina who in 2014 hit the jackpot by winning first place as well as TOP CRAFTSMAN honors.
With the help and partnership of the masonry industry, coupled with the support of its strong sponsorship group, the 2018 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 is sure to be a great source of fun and entertainment for WOC attendees.
For those who don’t make the journey to Las Vegas, the event is also streamed LIVE on January 24th at www.specmixbricklayer500.com. One thing is for certain. If you’re interested in witnessing an intense competition of masonry’s top-mudslingers, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to see who will be crowned “World’s Best Bricklayer!”
The competitor roster of the 2018 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship:
Stall #1 - Returning 2017 World Champion
Mason – Matt Cash
Tender – David Cheston Huntley
Huntley Brothers, Mint Hill, NC
Stall #2 - East Tennessee
Mason – Gregory Brian Wade
Tender – Brian Mullins
Wade Masonry Inc., Stanton, KY
Stall #3 - Ohio
Mason – Emilio Dibra
Tender – Charlie Cheatham
United Masonry – Highland Heights, OH
Stall #4 - Utah
Mason – Trint Pierce
Tender – Alex Groesbeck
Kim Pierce Masonry, Spanish Fork, UT
Stall #5 - Wisconsin
Mason – Jake Brock
Tender – Nick Miller
Brock Construction, Fort Atkinson, WI
Stall #6 - British Columbia
Mason – Riel Voigt
Tender – Josh Shelley
S&S Masonry, Langley, BC
Stall #7 -Ontario
Mason – Filipe Orfao
Tender – Jose Orfao
Res Masonry Inc, Cookstown, ON
Stall #8 - Illinois
Mason – Grzegorz Goral
Tender – Stefan Majercak
Molloy Masonry, Chicago, IL
Stall #9 -Florida
Mason – Vince Wright
Tender – Clint Wright
Wright Masonry, Section, AL
Stall #10 -Colorado
Mason – Esteban Cabral
Tender –Oscar Gaucin
Phoenix Masonry, Thornton, CO
Stall #11 -Washington
Mason – Eric Kent
Tender – Phil Evans
R&D Masonry, Marysville, WA
Stall #12 -Pennsylvania
Mason – Joe Masters
Tender – Ryan Drakeley
Dan Lepore & Sons Company, Conshohocken, PA
Stall #13 -California
Mason – David Jones Sr.
Tender – David Jones Jr.
Bratton Masonry, Inc. Fresno, CA
Stall #14 -Quebec
Mason – Benoit Jeannotte
Tender – Rene Rodier
Maconnerie Legault, Gatineau, QE
Stall #15 – Returning 2017 SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN
Mason – Brian Tuttle
Tender – Scott Tuttle
Quik Trowell Masonry, Clearfield, UT
Stall #16 - Oklahoma
Mason – Leif Reints
Tender – Michael Weisinger
Reints Masonry, Wyandotte, OK
Stall #17 - Missouri
Mason – Terry Daniel Jr.
Tender – Braden Palmer
John J. Smith Masonry Company, St. Louis, MO
Stall #18 - Virginia
Mason –James Currier
Tender – Charles Foster
Top Notch Brick & Block Masonry Inc., Norfolk, VA
Stall #19 - West Tennessee
Mason – Zac Guire
Tender – Oscar Herrera
Care Supply, Nashville, TN
Stall #20 - Alberta
Mason – Ken Rutley
Tender – Rick Vair
Mayzes Masonry, Medicine Hat, AB
Stall #21 - North Carolina
Mason – Wriston McGee Tender – Kaleb McGee
McGee Brothers Company, Inc., Monroe, NC
Stall #22 - North Texas
Mason – Jose Mario Landeros
Tender – Adolfo Gonzalez
Artisan Masonry, Royse City, TX
Stall #23 - New England
Mason – Ray Byers
Tender – Adam Byers
Arch Masonry & Restoration, Pittsburgh, PA
Stall #24 – South Texas
Mason – David Chavez
Tender – Miguel Contreras
Ranch Masonry, Houston, TX
Stall #25 – Louisiana
Mason – Brian Strider
Tender – Trey Morvant
Gator Masonry LLC, Waggaman, LA
Stall #26 – Arizona
Mason – David Puga
Tender – Genaro Contreras
Stone Cold Masonry, Phoenix, AZ
Stall #27 – Australia
Mason – Sheree Canham
Tender – Gregory Canham
Dolly Bird Bricks, New Berrima, Australia
Stall #28 – United Kingdom
Mason – Luke Lovegrove
Tender – Liam Johnson
LTL Brickwork & Stonemasonry LTD, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom