Mario Landeros Wins the North Texas SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition!

Mario Jose Landeros claims the “Regional Champion & Top Craftsman” titles.

At the North Texas SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® regional event, mason Mario Landeros and tender Adolfo Gonzalez with Innovation Masonry Construction secured their win with only a three-brick margin. The competition was fierce at Ferris High School on the morning of October 19th, 2023. Landeros has competed at the North Texas Regional event many times in the past, and this makes his third win. Laying 570 bricks in 60 minutes, the Landeros-Gonzalez team claimed the “Regional Champion” and “Top Craftsman” titles. Their zero-deduction wall was deemed ‘most-sellable’ by the judges; for their perfect work, this team won a combined total of $1,500, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Tool Bag. This duo will be headed to Las Vegas for the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship Competition at the World of Concrete Tradeshow on January 24th, 2024.

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 North Texas event was first-time competitor, Eric Miller and Joshua Seelbach with Miller and Son Masonry. This team was close behind first place laying 567 bricks in 60 minutes, an impressive feat for a first-time competitor. For their efforts, this team won $750, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Tool Bag. Lastly, in third place was Javier Garcia and tender Crisobal Vidal with Brazos Masonry. This team laid 546 bricks in 60 minutes, winning them $500, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Tool Bag.

In accompany with the North Texas Regional Journeymen competition was the JR. BL500. The Junior Bricklayer event is a shortened 20-minute rendition of the SMBL500 and provides high school students and apprentices to showcase their skills for a chance to win cash and prizes! At the North Texas Regional, there were two divisions for the JR. BL500. The Apprentice level first-place winner was Albino Alvarado with UMCA Northlake out of Dallas, TX, he laid 147 bricks in 20 minutes, winning him $200, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel. The second-place winner was Brycen McLaurin with Dallas College, he laid 141 bricks in 20 minutes, winning him $150, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel. Lastly, in third was Dylan Johnson with Dallas College, laying 136 bricks. For his efforts, he won $100, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel.

The first-place winner for the high school division was Jarrette Fuller with Birdville ISD, he laid 98 bricks in 20 minutes, winning him $200, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel. In second place was Caden Coe with Birdville ISD, he was close behind laying 96 bricks, winning him $150, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel. Lastly, in third place was Fernando Tavares with Dallas ISD, he laid 88 bricks, winning him $100, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel.

Disclosures:

In 2019, the SPEC MIX organization partnered with other masonry associations to create the JR. SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Competition. In 2024, of the 22 Regional Series competitions, 20 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/.

2025 World Championship: If you are interested in becoming a fan, the 23rd annual SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship will take place in January 2025, at the World of Concrete tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Las Vegas Convention Center Bronze Lot. At this competition, world-class masons lay it all on the line to claim their portion of the total purse valued at more than $125,000.

2023 JOURNEYMEN SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL RESULTS

2023 JUNIOR SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL RESULTS – APPRENTICE CLASS

2023 JUNIOR SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL RESULTS – HIGH SCHOOL