Ray Robinson, from Gainesville, FL.

LAS VEGAS, NV—This year's overall winner, Ray Robinson, age 44, a mason with J.A.M. Construction, Gainesville, Florida, was declared ''World's Best Bricklayer,'' at the 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500,® with a 697 brick performance laid in just sixty minutes. Ray is the first mason to represent Florida at the event and it was his 1st time competing. Ray won the grand prize of a new 2011 Ford F-250, XLT, V8, Super Duty, 4 x 4 truck, $5,000 in cash and thousands in sponsor prizes.

A lot of firsts for mason Ray Robinson and mason tender Lynette Darby

In the picture above, Ray Robinson holds the Champion’s trophy high over the winning wall as his mason tender, Lynette Darby, breaks into a smile. This team representing Florida provided the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National with some firsts. They placed first overall in the National. They were the first team to win a Regional competition in Florida, and the first to represent Florida at the National. Lynette is the first woman to compete on the National level and the first to be a member of a winning team.

It’s Show Time—The hottest ticket in Las Vegas!

Take a look at the largest masonry competition in the world. This is the ninth year the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 has been held. This exciting gathering brings qualifying masons from states such as Ohio, California, Wisconsin, Iowa, Utah, Kentucky, Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina, the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, and Ontario, and a mason from London, England. Every year it features the best competing masons and the very latest in masonry equipment and services displayed by the Event sponsors.

The new traveling trophy is displayed

New for 2011 is the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Traveling Trophy which was displayed in Las Vegas this year. The names of all the first place winners since the Event began nine years ago are displayed on this beautiful trophy. The spirit of this cup is where masonry legends grow and masonry history is recorded. It accepts only one mason in the world each year.

 
Dave Moyle is the second mason to place twice in the same year at the National level

Dave Moyle, mason, age 42, with Moyle Masonry, Wadena, Iowa, won 3rd place overall with 625 brick. Dave also earned the judges’ SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award. This is just the second time at the National level that a mason has taken two spots in the winner’s circle in the same year. Only the legendary Bill Morrisette, back in 2007 has equaled this double win. This is Dave’s second time taking the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award; he was a winner of this award back in 2009. Pat Pope was Dave’s mason tender.

 
Ohio’s Jeff Burton places 2nd overall 

Charles “Jeff” Burton, a 49 year old mason with Miter Masonry Construction, Cincinnati, Ohio came in second overall. Jeff and his son, mason tender Raymond Burton, laid 671 brick. Here you see Jeff crack a smile with event MC Tom Clark and SPEC MIX VP, Brian Carney, as he receives his check and trophy. It’s a tribute to Jeff’s sportsmanship that he can still smile after missing the first place Ford F250 Super Duty truck by only 27 brick.

Raymond Burton is the 2011 SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER 

Raymond Burton, mason tender for second place winner Charles “Jeff” Burton, both with Miter Masonry Construction, Cincinnati, Ohio won the 2011 SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER award for setting up the fastest pre-defined work area in 20:20:56 minutes. This award brought him $2,500 in cash and hundreds in sponsor prizes. This award honors the mason tender as a key team member of the masonry team. Raymond is Jeff’s son, proof of the continuing tradition of in the trade of handing down masonry skill to the next generation.

Careful attention is applied to the judging of the walls

Judges of the 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National take their jobs very seriously. With an average of over 20-years masonry trade experience, these professionals come from all over North America to judge at this event. There are in fact, more judges than there are competing masons at the National. Each mason must meet the rules of the competition exactly or deductions are made from the total brick count.

A little singer with a big voice and the hauling power of a Ford F250 truck

As Elvis looked on from the truck bed, little Madison Smith, age 6, was selected to sing the National Anthem, “The Star Spangle Banner” at the 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National. She sang it in front of the grand prize, a loaded Ford F250 Super Duty Truck. The anthem, with its many octave changes, has given many professional singers a challenge to sing it correctly. Madison knocked it out of the park, she even sang it a cappella (without instrumentation), and handled it with surprising power and ease considering she stands no taller than a 20 course of brick.

See the Latest in masonry equipment in action

Bosch Power Tools is a new SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 sponsor for 2011. Here audience members get their chance during the judging hour to take the latest Bosch masonry drills for a test drive while winning cash prizes. Many of the event cosponsors provide games and demonstrations with audience participation providing education, entertainment and fun. Even event MC Tom Clark (Right) can’t keep his hands off the fun.

STIHL‘s Pro Team member shows power is not just confined to their tools

Representing STIHL at the SMBL500, the arena audience was treated to an unbelievable show of power and skill by Erin LaVoie, age 28. She is the Guinness World Record holder for most Christmas trees chopped down in two minutes, her world record of 27 trees remains unbroken. She also is 2002 Rookie of the Year and IronJill World Champion in 2003 and 2004. She is the current World Champion in the Underhand Chop. Like our masons, she demonstrated the deceptive power of a simple tool, in the hands of an expert can produce unbelievable results.

Johnson Levels provides a workout for our nation’s finest, and the rest of the fans 

A member of the U.S. Air Forces’ Masons in the Military, attending the 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National, decided to take the Johnson Level challenge to rack up as many chin ups possible on a specially built station featuring a Johnson Level as the cross bar. Several of his crew members took a crack at placing, and these where no small guys, some civilians joined in weighing as much as 270 lbs (right), but the winning performance went to the military mason (left) with a count of 22. These are some tough guys, taking on a tough level.

Mason Fred Campbell and his crew roll in style

The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National uniquely demonstrates the importance of family in the masonry trade every year. Tennessee mason Fred Campbell and his mason tender Tony Shelton, with Lime Stone Masonry of Kingsport, Tennessee, roll to Vegas in style with their deluxe 55 seat, Setra Mortar Coach from Green Coach Charters, Greenville, Tennessee. Their own orange shirted pit crew shows unlike many professions, the trade of masonry is still actively handing down traditions and masonry skills to a younger generation of bricklayers.

Truck, cash, and prizes are provided by these 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National sponsors:
Widely recognized by the construction industry as the premier event at the WOC/WOM, the success of the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 is largely attributed to the support of its sponsors. Working together to promote the masonry trade and its members, numerous companies pull together by making both cash and product contributions.

Platinum Level Sponsors
SPEC MIX®, Inc.
Masonry Construction Magazine
Ford Trucks
Hydro Mobile
Prism Pigments
BOSCH Power Tools 

Gold Level Sponsors
Marshalltown Company
Blaklader Workwear
STIHL, Inc.
Johnson Level
Acme Brick
Multiquip / EZ Grout

Contributor Level Sponsors
GATORBACK Mortarboards
Building Lime Group
Western Lime
Angelus Block
Safway Scaffold
Jackson Professional Tools
Xtreme Manufacturing

Everyone at SPEC MIX would like to thank all the fans, masons, mason tenders, Judges, Mudslingers, Regional sponsors, National sponsors, Hanley Wood, and all the trade associations that contribute to making this competition the success it has become in promoting and growing our trade to the world. See you next year in Las Vegas!

The road to the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National begins in the summer when Regional’s are held throughout North America. If you wish to enter the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 program contact your local SPEC MIX representative and they can get you in contact with the right individual nearest you. Regional schedules and contact information are posted on http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/linktrack.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specmixbricklayer500.com  in early summer.

For more details about this event go to http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/linktrack.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specmixbricklayer500.com  This web site offers a FREE, webcast connection of the 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National.

To view an archive video of the 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National competition visit: http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/linktrack.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smbl500.com%2Fwebcast-info.cfm
To view a promotional video of the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National go to: http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/linktrack.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smbl500.com%2Fsmblpromo%2F
If you are a masonry instructor and wish to support this event to your students please contact us at: info@specmix.com

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