Dave Sontag wins the Alberta Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 Regional Event!

Dave Sontag claims the “Alberta’s Best Bricklayer” title!

On November 4th, 2023, the Alberta SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® regional competition took place. Masons and tenders from across the territory picked up their trowels to compete for the “Alberta’s Best Bricklayer” title. The 60-minute competition took place at SAIT Thomas Riley Building in Calgary, Alberta, and Dave Sontag, who has competed in 12 past regional events, took first place. Sontag has represented Alberta three times at the National competition in Las Vegas, making this upcoming year his fourth. Sontag and his tender Sunny Harvey from Bearstone EX, laid 573 bricks in 60 minutes to claim the first-place award. This team won $600, a 2-foot Stabila Level, a Marshalltown Tool Bag, and 2 tickets out of the country to Las Vegas, Nevada. The SMBL500 championship will take place on January 24th, 2024, at the World of Concrete Tradeshow, in Las Vegas, Nevada!

The 2023 Regional Series includes 23 events throughout the United States and Canada. To qualify for the SMBL500 event in Las Vegas, teams will compete at one of the 23 individual regionals and battle for first place to secure their spot in the national competition. The teams consist of one mason and one tender; working on a 26-foot-wide wall, they have 60 minutes to lay as much brick as possible with the fewest craftsmanship errors. These teams are only allowed to compete once at one regional event throughout the year, and each duo that wins first place will advance to what is known as the “Superbowl of Masonry.” At the World Championship, they will compete to win part of $125,000 in cash in prizes, including a Kubota RTV-X1140, Essick Pro12 mixer, and of course, the title, “World’s Best Bricklayer.”

The second-place winner at the Alberta regional was Jordan Kuntz and his tender Gage Kunts with Jackson Masonry. This team were first-time competitors, who put up a whopping 546 bricks in 60 minutes, winning them $300, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Tool Bag. The third-place team was Dan Kozey and Rey Jr. Gallano with Scorpio masonry, this is the fourth time this team has competed in the Alberta regional over the years. This time around, they laid 453 bricks in 60 minutes, winning them $250, a Marshalltown Tool Bag, and a Stabila Level. The Alberta competition was the final event of the 2023 SMBL500 regional series.

Disclosures:

In 2019, the SPEC MIX organization partnered with other masonry associations to create the JR. SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Competition. In 2023, of the 23 Regional Series competitions, 15 will also hold a JR. BRICKLAYER 500 contest to allow high schoolers and masonry apprentices to compete for top honors and prizes. The program has proven remarkably 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/.

2024 World Championship: If you are interested in becoming a fan, the 22nd annual SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship will take place on January 24th, 2024, at the World of Concrete tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Las Vegas Convention Center Bronze Lot. At this competition, 25 world-class masons lay it all on the line to claim their portion of the total purse valued at more than $125,000. Prizes include a Kubota RTV-X1140, Multiquip Pro 12 Mortar Mixer. Additionally, there will be other prizes from Hilti, Hydromobile, IQ Power Tools, QUIKRETE Companies, Razor-Back Tools, Stabila, Marshalltown, STIHL, Hohmann & Barnard, and Belden Brick. 

2023 JOURNEYMEN SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 ALBERTA REGIONAL RESULTS