Brothers and Sisters,
On Friday, October 11, Thompson Building Supplies hosted the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 in Sacramento, California. This competition is one of twenty-two, this series is set in the United States and Canada. Bricklayers will lay as many bricks as possible in one hour. The winners from each event will represent their region at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1st Place went to Richard King from Southern California for the second year in a row laying 593 bricks, 2nd place went to Howard Cole a previous two-time regional winner laying 542 bricks, and 3rd place went to Dago Fierro laying 436 bricks.
The day also included the Jr. Spec Mix challenge which is a 20-minute competition; BAC Local 3 apprentice Ashton Sollars took first place laying 99 bricks. The JR. Bricklayer event is for high school students and apprentices pursuing a career in masonry. The BAC apprentices that competed were Ashton Sollars, Tyron Green, Jayden Reunir, Isaac Flores, Gabriel Martinez and Bradley Nelson. Their brick tenders were BAC apprentices Juan Muratalla and Misael Rodriguez with BAC journeymen Chris Rabe and Dennis Ward.
The World of Concrete is a four-day event that holds exhibits and education seminars for Construction Managers, Contractors, and Industry Partners. The Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 is not the only event held; on Tuesday, January 21, The Scaffold & Access Industry Association will hold the Scaffold Builders Challenge. There will be 20 teams of which will encompass four builders and one team coach. The Freightliner Work Smart Competition includes the new X-series lineup of Western Star Trucks taken out on an obstacle course.
The competitions continue Wednesday with Masonry Madness, which includes: the Fastest Trowel on the Block, the Masonry Skills Challenge, the Toughest Tender, and the Bricklayer 500. The block laying contest and apprentice skills contest are sponsored by the Masonry Contractors Association of America whereas the Hod carrying contest and bricklaying contest is sponsored by Spec Mix masonry products.
Good luck to all the participants and Happy Thanksgiving.
In Solidarity,
Ryan Ruf