Ray Byers Wins Western Pennsylvania’s SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition!

Ray Byers claims the “Western Pennsylvania’s Best Bricklayer” title!

On September 7th, 2023, at the Highmark Stadium parking lot in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, the first ever Western Pennsylvania Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition took place. A little rain and a hot day didn’t deter the attendees from the event, as over 750 total guests, including 300 students from Vo-Tech schools, 30 architects, 22 sponsors, and multiple Journeymen and Junior teams came together to put on quite the trade show! 

The Western Pennsylvania event was Spec Mix’s largest regional competition yet. The students in attendance took part in our “Masonry Education Day”, full of different demonstrations providing them an up-close hands-on masonry experience. Broken out into groups, they had 10-minute sessions at eight different learning pods, where they would bounce from ‘pod to pod’, each showcasing different aspects of masonry. From playing in the mud to building brick walls, the students got to get their hands dirty. Staining brick and block, setting tile and tuckpointing joints, learning about safety on the job, and how to properly use masonry tools, these students got an all-around experience of the craft! They got to watch bricklaying in action at the Journeymen competition, and later saw their peers compete in a modified 20-minute version of the SMBL500 event, called the Junior Bricklayer 500. After the student’s long day full of learning about masonry, they were rewarded with a hefty buffet lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and mac-n-cheese! Along with the “Masonry Education Day”, the Western Pennsylvania Regional had a “Be a Bricklayer” booth, where students, adults, and people of all ages got a trowel in their hands and laid some brick! 

The Western Pennsylvania Regional Champion was mason Ray Byers and tender Adam Byers, a sibling duo that has competed many times in the past regional events and will now advance to the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the World of Concrete Tradeshow taking place on January 24th, 2024. This upcoming year will be their fourth time competing in the World Championship competition! The Byers brothers work at two different companies, but always compete together, so during the event they are referred to and known as the “Byers Brothers Masonry.” Ray Byers said “I was more nervous this year than any other year because this time my family was able to attend. This regional took place in my hometown, so my tender and I had a massive cheering squad on the sideline.” The Byers team laid 447 bricks in 60 minutes to claim the first-place position. Not only did this team take home the “Western Pennsylvania’s Best Bricklayer” title, but the Byers duo also won $1,500 in cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, a Marshalltown tool bag, and two tickets to the SMBL500 Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada!

The second-place team was mason Michael Frey and tender Johnathon Guzik with Cost Company, who laid 373 bricks during the competition. The Frey-Guzik team also claimed the “Top Craftsman” title, for having the perfect wall! Their zero-deduction wall won them a combined total of $2,300 in cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown tool bag. Lastly, in third place, was mason Jeff Wible, and tender Dillon Kee with Wible Masonry. They were close behind second, with a 335-brick count, winning them $700 in cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown tool bag.

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.”

Accompanied by the Western Pennsylvania event was the JR. BL500. 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 JRBL500 had two divisions, one for apprentice level, and the second for High School level.

First place for the apprentice level division was mason Andrew Huff and tender Anthony Stewart with BAC-Local 9. For their efforts, they won $150 in cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown trowel. In second place was mason Roman Ryzhkow with BAC-Local 9, who walked away with $100 in cash. Lastly, in third place, was mason Warren Brown and tender DJ Wilds, also with BAC-Local 9, who won $50 in cash. In the High School division, the first-place winner was mason Jacob Roadman and tender Meryn Zangaro with Eastern Westmoreland CTC. They won $100 in cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, and a Marshalltown Trowel. Second place went to mason, Mason Allison, and tender Justin McElroy with Western Area CTC, winning $50 for their efforts. 

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 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL RESULTS

2023 SPEC MIX JUINOR BRICKLAYER 500 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL RESULTS (APPRENTICE CLASS)

2023 SPEC MIX JUINOR BRICKLAYER 500 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL RESULTS (HIGH SCHOOL CLASS)