February 2, 2012 2:00 PM CST
The 2012 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National is a bricklaying competition comprised of the best bricklayers in the world. Twenty one, 2-man teams made up of a mason and mason tender compete to lay the most brick while meeting strictly defined quality standards. The competition has the largest winner’s purse of any masonry competition. The competitors compete for well over $100,000 in cash and prizes before a crowd of 3,000 fans.
First place winner, Leif Reints, age 31, a mason with Reints Masonry, Neosho, Missouri, was declared ”World’s Best Bricklayer,” with 583 brick laid in just sixty minutes. Leif won the grand prize of a new 2012 Ford F-250, XLT, V8, SuperDuty, CrewCab, 4 x 4 truck. Leif also won $5,000 in cash, a STIHL TS 420 A-EWC Cutquik® cut-off machine, and thousands in sponsor prizes. Leif’s mason tender was Gustavo Soriano also with Reints Masonry. This is the team’s first time in the winner’s circle at the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National.
The SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 TOP CRAFTSMAN award was given to mason Scott Tuttle, age 36, of Quik Trowell Masonry, Clearfield, Utah. Scott laid 474 brick. The combined brick count and quality of his wall was judged the, “most sellable.” Scott’s tender was Brian Tuttle of Clearfield, Utah. As the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN, Scott won $5,000 in cash, a Multiquip EM120S mixer, a STIHL TS 420 A-EWC Cutquik® cut-off machine and thousands
in sponsor prizes.
The 2nd place overall winner was mason Filipe Orfao, age 42, with Squire Masonry, Cookstown, Ontario, Filipe laid 547 brick and his tender was Manuel Oliveira. Filipe won $4,000 cash and sponsor prizes.
The 3rd place overall winner was mason Justin Jakubisin, age 31, with Giambrone Masonry, Hudson, Ohio. Justin laid 544 brick and his tender was Aaron Cooke of Brunswick Hills, Ohio. Justin won $3,000 in cash and sponsor prizes.
The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER® winner was Nick Miller, age 26, with Exteriors Plus, Jefferson, Wisconsin. Nick won $2,500 in cash and sponsor prizes. The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER is a preliminary event held just before SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National. In this event the tenders race the clock to set up a predefined work area for the mason. Nick’s winning time was 17:52 minutes.
Established to showcase the skill and craftsmanship of masonry the general description of the bricklaying competition is as follows: The contest requires all masons to meet the quality standards of the event. They have 60 minutes to complete their 26 foot 8 inch, double wythe brick wall. The competition has four awards; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place are based on the highest brick count meeting the quality standards. The 4th award, and arguably considered the most coveted price, the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN is judged the most sellable wall with the most brick. The walls are closely evaluated by 27 carefully selected masonry officials averaging 20 years of bricklaying experience. Many of the competitors feel winning the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award is their main goal and it has the second highest award purse.
This year’s competition was made up of winning bricklayers from 16 Regional qualifying competitions held throughout the United States and Canada. Competition bricklayers come from states such as Ohio, Washington, Illinois, Utah, Tennessee, Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Florida, Northern California, and Alabama. In addition, masons laid brick from the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Ontario, and the countries of England and Australia. The 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National Champion, Ray Robinson, also returned to defend his title as well as the 2011 SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN® winner, Dave Moyle.
For more details about this event go to www.specmixbricklayer500.com.
Reints wins title of “World’s Best Bricklayer”
Leif Reints wins big at the 2012 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500®
Mason Leif Reints from Missouri, took first place overall with 583 brick laid.
The 2012 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National bricklaying championship decides, “Who is the World’s Best Bricklayer?” Mason Leif Reints from Missouri, took first place overall with 583 brick laid. This timed, 60 minute competition was held on Wednesday, 12:00 Noon CST, January 25th, 2012, at the Masonry Construction’s Challenge Arena, at the 2012 World of Concrete / World of Masonry trade show. This is the largest annual construction trade show in the world. It is held once a year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada.The 2012 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National is a bricklaying competition comprised of the best bricklayers in the world. Twenty one, 2-man teams made up of a mason and mason tender compete to lay the most brick while meeting strictly defined quality standards. The competition has the largest winner’s purse of any masonry competition. The competitors compete for well over $100,000 in cash and prizes before a crowd of 3,000 fans.
First place winner, Leif Reints, age 31, a mason with Reints Masonry, Neosho, Missouri, was declared ”World’s Best Bricklayer,” with 583 brick laid in just sixty minutes. Leif won the grand prize of a new 2012 Ford F-250, XLT, V8, SuperDuty, CrewCab, 4 x 4 truck. Leif also won $5,000 in cash, a STIHL TS 420 A-EWC Cutquik® cut-off machine, and thousands in sponsor prizes. Leif’s mason tender was Gustavo Soriano also with Reints Masonry. This is the team’s first time in the winner’s circle at the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National.
The SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 TOP CRAFTSMAN award was given to mason Scott Tuttle, age 36, of Quik Trowell Masonry, Clearfield, Utah. Scott laid 474 brick. The combined brick count and quality of his wall was judged the, “most sellable.” Scott’s tender was Brian Tuttle of Clearfield, Utah. As the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN, Scott won $5,000 in cash, a Multiquip EM120S mixer, a STIHL TS 420 A-EWC Cutquik® cut-off machine and thousands
in sponsor prizes.
The 2nd place overall winner was mason Filipe Orfao, age 42, with Squire Masonry, Cookstown, Ontario, Filipe laid 547 brick and his tender was Manuel Oliveira. Filipe won $4,000 cash and sponsor prizes.
The 3rd place overall winner was mason Justin Jakubisin, age 31, with Giambrone Masonry, Hudson, Ohio. Justin laid 544 brick and his tender was Aaron Cooke of Brunswick Hills, Ohio. Justin won $3,000 in cash and sponsor prizes.
The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER® winner was Nick Miller, age 26, with Exteriors Plus, Jefferson, Wisconsin. Nick won $2,500 in cash and sponsor prizes. The SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER is a preliminary event held just before SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National. In this event the tenders race the clock to set up a predefined work area for the mason. Nick’s winning time was 17:52 minutes.
Established to showcase the skill and craftsmanship of masonry the general description of the bricklaying competition is as follows: The contest requires all masons to meet the quality standards of the event. They have 60 minutes to complete their 26 foot 8 inch, double wythe brick wall. The competition has four awards; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place are based on the highest brick count meeting the quality standards. The 4th award, and arguably considered the most coveted price, the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN is judged the most sellable wall with the most brick. The walls are closely evaluated by 27 carefully selected masonry officials averaging 20 years of bricklaying experience. Many of the competitors feel winning the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award is their main goal and it has the second highest award purse.
This year’s competition was made up of winning bricklayers from 16 Regional qualifying competitions held throughout the United States and Canada. Competition bricklayers come from states such as Ohio, Washington, Illinois, Utah, Tennessee, Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Florida, Northern California, and Alabama. In addition, masons laid brick from the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Ontario, and the countries of England and Australia. The 2011 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National Champion, Ray Robinson, also returned to defend his title as well as the 2011 SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN® winner, Dave Moyle.
For more details about this event go to www.specmixbricklayer500.com.
About the Author
Jeff Farmakes is the Marketing Communications Manager for SPEC MIX®, Inc.
