MASONRY MADNESS™
All 4 In Just One Day
MASONRY MADNESS™ Day was held on February 4, 2015, at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas! A theme created by SPEC MIX, Inc. MASONRY MADNESS Day is a collection of the most intense, exciting masonry competition in the world and it all took place in one day, at one location.
These highly skilled craftsmen compete for the largest value of cash and prizes awarded for any construction industry event held in the world—it was pure MASONRY MADNESS!
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, Las Vegas $120,000 in cash & prizes
Consistently ranked as the top attraction during the World of Concrete tradeshow, this trowel and mortar party took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Gold Lot. Spectators and webcast viewers witnessed an amazing display of human skill and endurance as over 100 masonry warriors fought for the champion title in their respective competitions. Throughout the day the crowd was given several chances to participate in sponsor demonstrations and games to win prizes and discover the latest product innovations impacting the efficiency and cost savings available to contractors. The action in the Gold Lot was as real as it gets. Anything can happen in Las Vegas, and it especially did during “MASONRY MADNESS DAY.”
SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National – 12:15 PM Pacific
Billed as the main event for the competition series, when the 60-minute SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 came to an end, Fred Campbell of Greeneville, TN was declared “World’s Best Bricklayer” for the second time. With an adjusted total of 743 brick laid, Fred earned $5,000 cash and sponsor prizes, including the grand prize; a new 2015 Ford F-250 4 x 4 truck, which he gave to his best friend and mason tender, Tony Shelton.
The SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN® and Second Place overall winner was another 2-time past Champion (2008 & 2010), Garrett Hood of Monroe, NC. With the help of his mason tender, Ed Huntley, Hood laid 723 brick and took home $9,000 cash, a Multiquip PRO12 mixer and other sponsor prizes. This double win makes Hood the most decorated mason in SMBL500 history.
The 3rd place overall winner was mason Brian Wade, of Wade Masonry in Stanton, KY. A SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship newcomer, Wade laid 666 brick in his first appearance, with the help of his mason tender Brandy Noble. Wade won $3,000 in cash and several sponsor prizes.
This was the 13th annual event that pits 24 of the top bricklayers in the world to compete for one hour in a test of speed, skill and stamina to take home the gold! Journeymen bricklayers and their trusty tenders from all over the U.S., Canada and Australia fiercely competed for the title of “World’s Best Bricklayer” and a total purse over $100,000, including a 2015 FORD F-250 4×4 Super Duty XLT truck. With thousands of spectators present, plus live webcast viewers on the edge of their seats, this was clearly the MASONRY MADNESS Day™ favorite.
The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 has the largest prize and cash awards of any masonry competition in the world.
MCAA’s FASTEST TROWEL ON THE BLOCK – 11:30 AM Pacific
The MCAA’s FASTEST TROWEL ON THE BLOCK is a world class blocklayer smackdown held during “Masonry Madness” day.
In this top blocklayer smackdown, masons pushed their skills and endurance to the limit for 20 grueling minutes of pure excitement. The event consisted of 18 teams that include one mason and one mason tenders that function like a well oiled machine. Sponsored by the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and supported by AZ Best Block of Phoenix and SPEC MIX, Inc., the competitors battled for a total purse of over $15,000 in cash and sponsor prizes.
Mason Arcadio Armenta of Sutter Masonry in El Mirage, AZ won First Place with a block count of 119 block that earned him $8,000 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Second Place was Alvaro Landaverde, also with Sutter Masonry, El Mirage, AZ. Alvaro laid 116 block and won $2,500 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Third Place was taken by Irvin Willoughby with Pascal Robertson Masonry in Sorrento, Florida, with 130 block laid. Willoughby won $1,500 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER®– 10:45 AM Pacific
The world’s top mason tenders compete for the fastest time setting up their SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® workstation. Thousands of spectators watched as mason tenders hauled tons of brick, block, equipment and mortar to beat their peers and take home the cash and prizes. The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER® winner was Brian Tuttle, with Quik Trowell in Clearfield, UT. Brian won $2,500 in cash and additional sponsor prizes. The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER is a preliminary event held just before SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship Event. In this event the mason tenders raced the clock to set up a predefined work area for the following bricklaying competition. Tuttle’s winning time was 18:07 minutes.
The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER time tests the focus, speed and endurance of mason tenders in setting up a predefined work area.
The MCAA’s MASONRY SKILLS CHALLENGE brings together top mason apprentices to start out MASONRY MADNESS Day™ by displaying the skills passed on to the next generation
MCAA’s MASONRY SKILLS CHALLENGE – 9:00 AM Pacific
The crowd saw top masonry apprentices in their first, second and third year of training showcase their skills as they proved they have the RIGHT STUFF and stepped-up their game in this 3-hour bricklaying competition. The exciting competition spotlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry.
Mason apprentice Daniel Furr, Koontz Masonry, Inc., Lexington, KY, took First Place in 1st year to win $750 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Mason apprentice Zachary Zuidema, Jimmy Z Masonry, Crystal Lake, IL, took First Place in 2nd year to win $750 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.
Mason apprentice Kelton McGee, McGee Brothers, Inc., Monroe, NC took First Place in 3rd year to win $750 in cash and additional sponsor prizes.