Words and Photos: MASONRY Magazine
MASONRY MADNESS® happens once a year at World of Concrete in the Las Vegas Convention Center Bronze Lot. Thousands of spectators come together to watch action-packed masonry events take place, as the best of the masonry industry goes head-to-head in the attempts to be titled the champion. The four events that are on display each year are the Masonry Skills Challenge, MCAA’S FASTEST TROWEL ON THE BLOCK, The SPEC MIX Toughest Tender®, and The SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500® World Championship. Apprentices, masons, and tenders are put to the test to see who comes out on top.
MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge
About The Competition
Hosted annually by the MCAA, The Masonry Skills Challenge is designed to highlight the masonry industry’s up-and-coming skilled tradespeople. Attention is placed on the beauty, skill, and lifelong career associated with masonry.
The event was held on Wednesday, February 5th, 2020. The MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices in first, second, and third-year skill levels. The contest is a showcase for skills training in the masonry industry, challenging winning apprentices from regional U.S. and foreign competitions to determine the top masonry apprentice at each level. This exciting competition spotlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry.
Each contestant was presented with a project drawing appropriate to their skill level just moments before the competition began. Contestants only had three hours to construct the project based on the materials provided.
All winners received trophies, cash prizes, and Marshalltown Company tool bags and tools. First-place winners also received engraved trowels from Marshalltown Company and boots from Iron Age Footwear. All contestants received a level from MCAA Strategic Partner Keson/SOLA, a GROUT GRUNT masonry scoop, tools from Bon Tool, and additional prizes.
Judges
The Mason Contractors Association of America would like to thank the judges from across the country for donating their time and many combined decades of expertise in the field:
- Al Herndon, Florida Masonry Apprentice and Educational Foundation; Green Cove Springs, FL.
- Alonza Lewis, Retired Instructor; Columbia, SC
- Curtis Hoover, Anne Arundel County Public Schools; Severn, MD
- Daniel Flores, BAC 4 IN/KY Apprenticeship; Warsaw, IN
- Daniel Hurley, FRACO; Baltimore, MD
- Dave Jaykins, Sargon Masonry Construction; Phoenix, AZ
- David Malone, BAC Local 1 MN/ND; New Hope, MN
- Eugene Johnson, Johnsons & Son Masonry; Holly Hill, SC
- James Hoskinson, Lang Masonry & Restoration Contractors; Waterford, OH
- Jason Young, Ollier Masonry Inc.; Batesville, IN
- Joe Bonifate, Arch Masonry & Restoration; Pittsburgh, PA
- John Gray, International Masonry Training & Ed Foundation; Las Vegas, NV
- Mike Ellsworth, Schiffer Masonry; Holt, MI
- Mike Summers, Top Quality Masonry; Phoenix, AZ
- Mike Sutter
- Milton McGinnis, Vallejo Masonry; Vallejo, CA
- Paula Wight, Bon Tool; Gibsonia, PA
- Reggie Wilson, WDP Construction Group, Inc.; Fort Worth, TX
- Robert Melgaard, Florida Department of Corrections; Tallahassee, FL
- Todd Williams, Williams and Sons Masonry, Inc.; El Cajon, CA
FIRST YEAR APPRENTICES
First Place
Wade Taylor
Huntley Brothers Company Inc.
Mint Hill, NC
Second Place
Jesse Steele
BAC 4 IN/KY Apprenticeship Program
Merrillville, IN
Third Place
Ty’Shawn Pettway
Lovell’s Masonry/BAC #8SE
Columbia, TN
SECOND YEAR APPRENTICES
First Place
Deyver Tena
G&G Enterprises/Arizona Masonry Contractors Association
Glendale, AZ
Second Place
Sebastian Drawdy
Leidal & Hart
Livonia, MI
Third Place
Jace Huntley
Huntley Brothers Company Inc.
Mint Hill, NC
THIRD YEAR APPRENTICES
First Place
Jake Freeman
Adams Masonry, Inc.
Chattanooga, TN
Second Place
David Sandoval
Jimmy’Z Masonry Corp
Crystal Lake, IL
Third Place
Jean Carroll
WaveCrest Masonry, Inc.
Inverness, FL
Sponsors
The MCAA would also like to thank the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) for sponsoring the MCAA Masonry Skills Challenge.
CONTRIBUTORS
- AZ Best Block
- The Belden Brick Company
- GATORBACK, Inc.
- Quikrete
- SPEC MIX, LLC
PRIZES PROVIDED BY
- MARSHALLTOWN
- Iron Age Boots
- KESON/SOLA
- Grout Grunt
- And more
ABOUT THE MCAA’S MASONRY SKILLS CHALLENGE
The Masonry Skills Challenge is hosted annually by the MCAA as part of MASONRY MADNESS® during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas. This exciting competition highlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry.
For more information about the competition, please visit www.masonryskillschallenge.com.
MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block
About The Competition
On the job, teamwork is critical. In the Fastest Trowel on the Block competition, the same holds true. With just 20 minutes on the clock, the speed and skill of mason-and-tender teams are put on full display for the thousands of spectators who come to see the event. The goal of the competition is for each team to build as much of a 30-foot long wall as possible using 8”X8”X16” CMU and the provided mortar in the time allotted. Not just about speed, this competition was also judged on the level of craftsmanship, and use of standard masonry practices and tools.
Each mason worked quickly to build a quality wall, while the crowd cheered them on throughout the twenty-minute competition. After the judges completed their scoring, the results were announced.
Judges
The MCAA would like to thank the judges from across the country for donating their time and many decades of expertise in the field:
- John Jacob, J. Construction Co., Inc.; Cincinnati, OH
- Brandon Hartsell, Gates Construction Company, Inc.; Mooresville, NC
- John Chrysler, Masonry Institute of America, Torrance, CA
- Tyler Watts, True Bond Masonry, LLC; Doyline, LA
- Brian White, Ambach Masonry Constuction, Inc., Sorrento, FL
- Kevin Potter, Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 2 NY/VT, Albany, NY
- Mike Canez III, Atlas Masonry, Phoenix, AZ
- Reno Montoya, Bormon Construction, Inc., Destin, FL
- Chick Hatton, FRACO, Baltimore, MD
- Dan Hiltebeitel, Honey Brook, PA
- Steve Sianez, BrickMasons Apprenticeship, Arcadia, CA
- Dean Lang, Lang Masonry & Restoration Contractors, Wateford, OH
- Phillip Samblanet, The Masonry Society, Longmont, CO
- Ron Adams, Cascade Construction Co., Inc., Lakewood, WA
- Scott, Guilbault, Fraco USA, Inc., Warren, MI
- James Bylowski, Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Loca 2 MI, Lansing, MI
- Melvin Schwendeman, Lang Masonry & Restoration Contractors, Waterford, OH
- Ray Alva, New Dimension Masonry, San Diego, CA
- Bob Jacabacci, Bullard-Havens Technical High School, Bridgeport, CT
- Mike Sutter, AZ
- Patrick Martin, CDCR-State of California/SCC-Sierra Conservation Center, Jamestown, CA
- Robert Collins, BrickMasons Apprenticeship, Arcadia, CA
- Terry Watts, True Bond Maosnry, LLC, Doyline, LA
Winners
FIRST PLACE
Gerardo Patlan
Adams Fence LLC
Phoenix
Tender: Roberto Patlan
Block Count: 136
Gerardo Patlan placed second in the 2018 MCAA Fastest Trowel on the Block competition and first in 2019.
SECOND PLACE
Noe Martinez
Curran Masonry Corporation
Chandler, Ariz.
Tender: Heriberto Mendoza
Block Count: 125
Noe Martinez placed third in the 2018 MCAA Fastest Trowel on the Block competition, and second in 2019.
THIRD PLACE
Roberto Cimental
Arizona State Masonry
Phoenix, AZ
Tender: Saul Escarcega
Block Count: 141
Sponsors
The MCAA would also like to thank SPEC MIX, LLC and the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) for sponsoring the MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block competition, and give a special thank you to the sponsors and service/material donors for their contributions including:
CONTRIBUTORS
- AZ Best Block
- GATORBACK, Inc.
- QUIKRETE
- SPEC MIX, LLC
PRIZES PROVIDED BY
- Beeline Purchasing, LLC
- GATORBACK, Inc.
- GROUT GRUNT
- Iron Age Footwear
- Keson/SOLA
- Marshalltown Company
- SPEC MIX, LLC
ABOUT THE MCAA’S FASTEST TROWEL ON THE BLOCK
The MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block is hosted annually by the MCAA as part of MASONRY MADNESS® during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas. The competition is a showcase of industry craftsmanship and a testament of both the speed and skill of our industry’s workforce.
For more information about the competition and to register, please visit www.fastesttrowel.com.
SPEC MIX Toughest Tender® / SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500® World Championship
Thousands of spectators gathered in the Bronze Lot at the Las Vegas Convention, and thousands more watched live online, as the 18th annual SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World Championship took center stage at the World of Concrete expo. It’s a battle of skill, speed and stamina as masons and tenders from across North America put their reputations on the line for a chance to win serious prizes. The concept is simple, each team has one hour to build a 26-foot-long brick wall as large as they can with as few errors as possible.
Mason Fred Campbell and mason tender Tony Shelton of Creative Masonry in Greeneville, TN took home top honors, claiming the title, “World’s Best Bricklayer.” With a brick count of 756. Campbell is now the proud owner of a new Ford F-250 XLT 4×4 truck, an Essick Pro 12 mortar mixer plus an addition $10,000 in cash and prizes.
This marks the third time Fred Campbell has won the World Championship title, the first mason to claim that honor. The 47-year-old mason was excited to win again saying, “It’s great to be back on the podium. We put in a lot of work this year to make sure we came out on top.”
Mason Darian Douthit of Providence Masonry of Miami, OK took home the title SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN®, which goes to the mason whose wall was voted “most sellable,” by a 30-judge panel. For this honor Douthit is taking home a ROXOR Off-Road side-by-side sport utility vehicle.
Douthit is a repeat SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN winner, and took top honors with 550 qualifying brick laid with no deductions. “My goal was to take home the ROXOR, I’m going up against such tough competitors, it’s great to be considered one of the best.”
Standing beside first place and craftsman in the winners’ circle, second place honors went to last year’s World Champion, Mario Alves and tender Michael Alves of A&M Masonry in Hamilton, ON. Alves laid 735 brick to win $4,000 and over $1,500 in sponsor prizes.
Commonly referred to as the “Super Bowl of Masonry,” the bricklaying battle took place on Wednesday, Feb. 5th in the heart of the Masonry Madness® Day arena at the World of Concrete trade show in Las Vegas. Before a bricklayer is eligible to compete in the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World Championship, they must first qualify by winning one of 24 Regional Series competitions held across North America. This earns them a shot at taking down the returning World Champion or SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN® title holders.
Four additional events were held in the Bronze Lot during Masonry Madness Day, rounding out 6 hours of masonry competitions. The MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge, MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block, the SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER and the JR. SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500.
The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World Championship Event is renowned as the top attraction for the World of Concrete trade show. The competition arena was filled with a crowd of over 6,000 spectators who witnessed an intense battle between 26 bricklayer and mason tender teams that raced against a 60-minute clock to build a 26-foot-long brick wall. Representing the best of North America, the duos worked at a tirelessly to install as many brick as possible while following strict quality workmanship standards.
The bricklayer’s walls were judged by 30 highly experienced masonry experts, enforcing 10 sets of craftsmanship requirements. The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 is recognized as the masonry industry’s only true test of skill, speed and stamina that annually awards the title “World’s Best Bricklayer” and total purse of over $125,000 in cash and prizes including a new Ford F-250 4×4 XLT Super Duty truck and a ROXOR Off-Road Side by Side Sport Utility Vehicle. To see the full list of top ten finishers visit: WWW.SPECMIX.COM
FIRST PLACE CASH & PRIZES
- FORD F-250 XLT SUPER DUTY 4X4 TRUCK
- ADDITIONAL PRIZES:
- SPEC MIX:
$5,000 CHECK AND A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JACKET - MULTIQUIP:
ESSICK PRO12 MORTAR MIXER - MARSHALLTOWN:
CEREMONIAL TROPHY TROWEL AND TOOL BAG - BLAKLADER:
$1,000 GIFT CERTIFICATE - STABILA:
CUSTOM TROPHY 24″ LEVEL AND PLAQUE - STIHL: TSA 230 CUTQUIK BATTERY-POWERED CUT-OFF MACHINE W/ ACCESSORIES
- GATORBACK:
10PK MORTARBOARDS - iQ POWERTOOLS:
iQ JACKET AND iQMS362 TABLESAW SET W/ ACCESSORIES
SECOND PLACE CASH & PRIZES
- $4,000 CHECK
- MARSHALLTOWN: LOADED TOOL BAG
- BLAKLADER: $750 GIFT CERTIFICATE
- STABILA: CUSTOM TROPHY 24″ LEVEL AND PLAQUE
- STIHL: TSA 230 CUTQUIK BATTERY-POWERED CUT-OFF MACHINE W/ ACCESSORIES
- GATORBACK: 10PK MORTARBOARDS
- iQ POWERTOOLS: $200 iQ GIFT PACK, iQ JACKET AND SHIRT, 3 BLADES
THIRD PLACE CASH & PRIZES
- $3,000 CHECK
- MARSHALLTOWN: LOADED TOOL BAG
- BLAKLADER: $500 GIFT CERTIFICATE
- STABILA: CUSTOM TROPHY 24″ LEVEL AND PLAQUE
- STIHL: $700 PRODUCT CERTIFICATE
- GATORBACK: 10PK MORTARBOARDS
- iQ POWERTOOLS: $200 iQ GIFT PACK, iQ JACKET AND SHIRT, 3 BLADES
SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN CASH & PRIZES
- ROXOR OFF-ROAD UTILITY VEHICLE
- ADDITIONAL PRIZES:
- SPEC MIX: $5,000 CHECK
- MARSHALLTOWN: CEREMONIAL TROPHY TROWEL AND TOOL BAG
- BLAKLADER: $1,000 GIFT CERTIFICATE
- STABILA: CUSTOM TROPHY 24″ LEVEL AND PLAQUE
- STIHL: TSA 230 CUTQUIK BATTERY-POWERED CUT-OFF MACHINE W/ ACCESSORIES
- GATORBACK: 10PK MORTARBOARDS
- iQ POWERTOOLS: iQMS362 TABLESAW SET W/ ACCESSORIES
SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER CASH & PRIZES
- $2,500 check & SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER® Trophy from SPEC MIX
- STIHL $700 Product Certificate
- iQ POWER TOOLS $200 iQ gift pack & iQ jacket
- BLAKLADER $500 Gift Certificate
- MARSHALLTOWN loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag