Vince Wright wins the West Tennessee SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition!

Vince Wright claims the “West Tennessee’s Best Bricklayer” title.

The West Tennessee Regional Competition took place on September 23rd, 2023, at Alley Casetty Brick in Lebanon, Tennessee. Mason Vince Wright and tender Nick Evans with Wright Masonry took first place laying 512 bricks in 60-minutes. This is Vince’s 11th time competing, and his fourth time winning a regional event. Along with $400 in cash, the Wright-Evans team walked away with a 2-foot Stabila Level, a Marshalltown Tool Bag, and two tickets to compete at the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada in January 2024 at the World of Concrete Tradeshow. 

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 Top Craftsman award at the West Tennessee Regional went to mason Tony Woodson and tender Brendon Moore with Jenkins Masonry. This team laid the ‘perfect wall’ with zero deductions from the judges. Tony and his tender laid 400 bricks in 60 minutes, winning them $350 in cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Tool Bag. This is Tony’s third time competing, but their first-ever win! Congratulations to Tony and his tender for placing at the West Tennessee Regional. It’s a great feat to win the Top Craftsman award, as your wall is deemed the ‘most sellable’ by the judges. In second place was Aristeo Hernandez and tender Eliceo Ventura with JLP Masonry. This team laid 440 bricks in 60 minutes, winning them $300, a Stabila Level, and Marshalltown Tools. This team has competed three times at the West Tennessee Regional over the years, maybe next year they will place first! Lastly, in third place was Zac Cuire and tender Oscar Herrera with Care Supply. This team laid 410 bricks in 60 minutes, winning them $200, a Stabila Level, and Marshalltown Tools. This team has competed 10 times at the SMBL500 Tennessee competition and has taken first place one time before. 

Accompanied by the West Tennessee Regional event was the JR. BL500 competition. This contest is a shortened rendition of the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500, where students and masonry apprentices display their skills for the chance to win cash and prizes! These competitors battle for the “JR BRICKLAYER 500 CHAMPION” title. The first-place winner shocked the crowd with an amazing performance. Denton Shelton and his tender Colby Prince with Lawrence Co. High School laid 92 bricks in 20 minutes. Denton has only been laying brick for six weeks and had a zero-deduction wall! He was offered a job upon graduation by a contractor who attended the event! For his efforts, he won $100, a Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel. In second place was Jeremiah Leonard with Cleburne Co. High School, and in third place was Hunter Bray, also with Cleburne Co. High School. 

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.

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