Trint Pierce Wins the 2022 Utah SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500

Pierce Doubles Down to Claim “Utah’s Best Bricklayer & Top Craftsman” Titles!

West Jordan, UT – He laid 640 bricks in 60-minutes! Mason Trint Pierce worked side-by-side with his mason tender, Alex Grosbeck of Kim Pierce Masonry of Spanish Fork, UT, to earn the title, “Utah’s Best Bricklayer.” The Pierce-Grosbeck team took on 6 other local teams, officially winning their shot to compete in the construction industry’s biggest event, the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500®, in Las Vegas at the World of Concrete tradeshow on January 18th, 2023.

To qualify for the World Championship, hundreds of teams from across North America will battle to win one of 22 individual regional series events, proving they have what it takes to step into the arena and battle at what is known as the “Super Bowl of Masonry.”

Each team, consisting of one mason and one mason tender, is given 1-hour to build the tallest, 26-foot-long brick wall with the fewest craftsmanship errors possible. The winning team from each regional qualifying event will advance to compete in Las Vegas for a total purse of over $125,000 in cash and prizes, including a new Ford F-250 4×4 Truck, Kubota RTV-X1140, Essick Pro12 mortar mixer, and the title “World’s Best Bricklayer!”

The Pierce/Grosbeck team have both competed in a previous World Championship but couldn’t drive home the Ford F-250. However, they have their sites and goals set high for the 2023 battle. “My goal is to lay around 750 bricks and win both Champion and TOP CRAFTSMAN titles. Although Alex is a great mason himself when it comes to competing in Vegas, he’s my ‘go-to’ guy mason tender—he’ll make sure my mud is perfect and my leads are spot-on; hopefully, this will be our year! I’m excited to have all the younger masons in our company join us in Las Vegas to see the competition—it’s good that they see what’s possible if you keep pushing your level of skill.”  

In addition to winning a free trip to the big show in Vegas, Pierce also won the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award, which goes to the mason with zero brick deductions and what is referred to as the “most-sellable” wall. All-in-all Pierce won $600 for first place and $500 for the TOP CRAFTSMAN award as well as an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas along with a 4-foot Stabila Level, a Marshalltown ceremonial trowel, and a loaded tool bag. 

At 40 years old, Pierce has been a bricklayer for 22 years. His father, Kim, and owner of Pierce Masonry has also competed in a world championship and has mentored his son to be one of Utah’s best. Both father and son speak highly of the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 and how it benefits the masonry industry. “The Bricklayer 500 has done wonders for our craft! It gets masons and everybody in the trade excited about the work we do, and it inspires the young kids to get involved and pick up a trowel,” says Trint. 

Second place went to mason Sam Barlow and mason tender Adam Southern with IMS Masonry in Lindon, UT by laying 508 bricks. For their efforts, the team took home $500 and a Marshalltown tool bag. Barlow is no stranger to the competition and won third place in last year’s competition.

Third place went to mason Eric Speer and mason tender Joel of AK Masonry in South Jordan with a brick count of 448, which earned them $300 and a Marshalltown tool bag.

Following the conclusion of the journeymen competition, area masonry apprentices had a chance to showcase their skills in the JR. SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 competition. Designed to be an abbreviated version of the main event, the competition showcases the future of masonry’s next generation of skilled masons. This 20-minute contest awards the region’s best masonry student or apprentices the JR. BRICKLAYER 500 Champion, a title that could go a long way when being considered by mason contractors for employment and a well-paying career. It was mason Hunter Canmody representing Harv & Higam Masonry based in Salt Lake City that took first place and won $75 and Stabila 2-foot level loaded backpack by laying 158 bricks.

In 2019, the SPEC MIX organization partnered with other masonry associations to create the Junior SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Competition. This year of the 22 Regional Series competitions, 12 will also hold Junior BRICKLAYER 500 contests that give high school and masonry apprentices the chance to compete for their state title. The program has proven very successful and highly supported by the Mason Contractors Association of America, school administrators and numerous masonry supply manufacturers and dealers. To learn more visit https://www.specmix.com/jr-spec-mix-bricklayer-500/.

If you’re interested in becoming a fan, the 21st annual SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship will take place on January 18th, 2023, at the World of Concrete tradeshow in Las Vegas in the Las Vegas Convention Center Bronze Lot. You’ll see 26 world-class masons lay it all on the line to claim their portion of the total purse valued at more than $125,000 including a new Ford F-250 4×4 Super Duty truck, Kubota RTV-X1140, Multiquip Pro 12 Mortar Mixer, and other prizes from Hilti, IQ Power Tools, Stabila, Marshalltown, STIHL, Blaklader Workwear, and Belden Brick.

If you have any questions, or would like to set up an interview with any of the competitors, please contact Brian Carney at 612-859-4505 or by email at Brian.Carney@specmix.com

SPEC MIX is your North American source for high quality, factory produced cement-based building materials that are preblended for the construction industry. SPEC MIX products are precisely engineered to meet ASTM and building code requirements. Projects designed for the installation of brick, CMU, stone, stucco or building repair and restoration, SPEC MIX offers a full line of products packaged in 80 & 3,000-pound bags produced with state-of-the-art batching equipment to ensure quality and consistency from start to finish. For optimal jobsite efficiency, safety, and productivity, we provide contractors with numerous silo material mixing systems that maximize a contractor’s cost savings, safety and profitability. For more information, visit www.specmix.com.

2022 JOURNEYMEN SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 UTAH REGIONAL RESULTS

2022 JUNIOR SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 UTAH REGIONAL RESULTS