California Regional Masonry Skills Challenge

By Amy Vasquez

This years Regional Masonry Skills Challenge was held at Orco Block in Riverside, California on November 8, 2003. The event was sponsored by Orco Block, California Conference of Mason Contractors, Mason Contractors Association of America and the Masonry Industry Training Association.

Over 1,500 spectators witnessed the amazing skills brought forth by the 21 apprentices both union and non-union. The contest is about our industry ?Masonry? and showing all the different levels of skill. The apprentices were given 3 hours to finish their project and were split up into 3 levels, years 1, 2, & 3.

This year?s winners were as follows: 1st year/1st place ? Jairo Carretto from NuWay, Inc. 2nd year/1st place Blas? Anzalone from New Dimensions Masonry, and 3rd year/1st Place ? Robert McGalliard from J.B. Mcgalliard & Sons (Robert McGalliard is a 4th Generation Mason). We had 24 high schools students from area high school programs and also 100 high school students that were bused in to see this event take place.

The Fastest Trowel contest also took place on this day, which was at the ?Journeyman Level?. The contestants were given 20 minutes to build a wall. This year Jeff Voss from NuWay, Inc. took 1st Place and will now go on to Las Vegas in March to compete in the National Competition along with the Skills Challenge winners.