It was another high energy day of bricklaying action held during MASONRY MADNESS Day at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry tradeshow where nearly 4,000 spectators gathered to watch the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship event.

Recognized as the construction industry’s most renowned annual competition that pits some of the world’s best masons in one arena for a 60-minute battle that concludes “Who is the World’s Best Bricklayer?” It was Fred Campbell of east Tennessee that laid 743 brick and put together the winning hand of skill and craftsmanship that rewarded him with a new Ford F-250 Super Duty truck and over $10,000 in cash and prizes. Although it was Campbell’s sixth attempt at competing in the World Championship contest, in 2013 he also won first place making him one of two masons that have ever claimed top honors in the event’s 13-year history.

Before Campbell and the other 21 masons from North America could test their skills at the final round in Vegas, they had to first become a Regional Champion. In August of 2014, Campbell of Creative Masonry, Greeneville, Tenn., won the east Tennessee Regional qualifying contest that earned him a spot to take on the other twenty-three highly skilled bricklayers from the United States, Canada and Australia. The difference this year is Campbell walked into the competition arena 65 pounds lighter than his 2013 fighting weight and he vowed that when—not if—he won the 2015 World Champion title he would give the keys to the Ford F-250 truck to his best friend and mason tender Tony Shelton. Campbell is a man of his word and that’s exactly what he did. Obviously Campbell is not only a world-class bricklayer; he’s a world-class guy that represents the congeniality common in the masonry trade.

Thanks to the SPEC MIX organization and the supporting co-sponsors of the event, Fred Campbell’s World Champion performance earned him the following prizes:

• 2015 Ford F-250 Truck SRW 4x4 Crew Cab Truck
• $5,000 check from SPEC MIX Inc.
• STIHL: TSA 230 battery-powered cut-off machine with standard 9-inch abrasive wheel, AR 900 battery pack, AL 500 high-speed charger, one B10 Economy Concrete Diamond Wheel, pressurized water tank, anti-vibration gloves, protective glasses, and construction hard hat system.
• Marshalltown Ceremonial Trophy and loaded SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 tool bag
• iQ Power Tools: 360 Table Saw Set with rolling table, Smart Cart and 14-inch Silent Blade
• GATORBACK: (1) 10pk Mortarboards
• STABILA: Custom Trophy 24-inch Level
• Official SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship jacket and trophy.

If there was an overall theme this year, it was TOUGH COMPETITION, as it was undeniably fierce in Las Vegas. The event was truly a field of champions as the competition went to a new level. No less than four past World Champions competed this year. There were four past SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN winners, and a total of eleven masons who have placed in past World Competition events in the field of twenty-four competitors. At the same time, in a unique twist, due to the expansion of the Regional program a record number of 11 first time competitors were also competing in the arena. So for the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship it was a field of new faces and veterans who carried their trowels into the MASONRY MADNESS arena this year.

There was only a count of 20 brick between 1st and 2ndplace, a testimony to the high level of competition. Thirty-year-old mason Garrett Hood, with Huntley Brothers from Monroe, N.C., was a rare dual winner this year taking 2nd place overall and the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award with 723 brick. Hood, who is no stranger to the event, has won a total of two Ford F-250 trucks for his World Champion victories in both 2008 and 2010. This was his first time winning the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award which is the second highest prize award and considered by some masons the most desired. This honor is given to the “Most Sellable Wall” constructed over 500 brick. Garrett’s mason tender was Ed Huntley.

For winning the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN award Garrett Hood won the following prizes:

• $5,000 Check from SPEC MIX Inc.
• ESSICK PRO12 Mortar Mixer
• STIHL: a TSA 230 battery-powered cut-off machine with standard 9-inch abrasive wheel, (2) 180 batteries, AL 500 high-speed charger, one x100 Premium Diamond Wheel, pressurized water tank, anti-vibration gloves, protective glasses, construction hard hat system
• Marshalltown: Ceremonial Trophy Trowel and a loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag
• iQ Power Tools; iQPC912 + 3 Blades: (1) 14-inch White Blade & (2) 14-inch Orange Blades
• GATORBACK _ (1) 10pk Mortarboards
• STABILA: Custom Trophy 24-inch Level
• SPEC MIX Top Craftsmanship Trophy

Hood’s 2nd Place score won him the following prizes:

• $4,000 Check from SPEC MIX Inc.
• STIHL: TSA 230 battery-powered cut-off machine with standard 9-inch abrasive wheel, (1) AP 180 battery, AL 500 high-speed charger, pressurized water tank, anti-vibration gloves, protective glasses, construction hard hat system
• Marshalltown: Loaded SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 tool bag
• iQ Power Tools : $200 iQ Gift Pack, jacket, shirt and 3 diamond blades
• STABILA: Custom Trophy 24-inch Level
• GATORBACK : (1) 10pk of Mortarboards
• SPEC MIX 2nd place Trophy

Third Place overall was 39-year-old mason Brian Wade who laid 666 brick. Wade is from Stanton, Ky and the first from that state to place at the World Championship competition. He and his mason tender, Brandy Noble of Wade Masonry were first time competitors in the event and won the following prizes:

Wade’s 3rd Place score won him the following prizes:

• $3,000 Check from SPEC MIX Inc.
• STIHL: $700 product certificate
• Marshalltown: Loaded SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 tool bag
• iQ Power Tools: $200 iQ Gift Pack with iQ Jacket and shirt and 3 blades
• STABILA: Custom Trophy 24-inch Level
• GATORBACK: (1) 10pk Mortarboards
• SPEC MIX third place trophy

The 2015 SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER winner was Brian Tuttle, with Quik Trowel Masonry located in Clearfield, Utah. Although he was the 2012 TOP CRAFTSMAN winner, this year Tuttle was tending mason for his brother Scott who won the Utah regional qualifying contest. Brian didn’t beat the TOUGHEST TENDER record time of 11 minutes, 7 seconds set in 2005 by Felipe Reyes, but he did claim this year’s title by completing the job in 18 minutes, 7 seconds. Congratulations to Brian for taking home $2,500 for less than twenty minutes of hard work. This undercard contest for mason tenders is held before the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 and focuses on the mason tender preparing the mason’s work area in a detailed and pre-defined way in the fastest time possible.

As the 2015 SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER victor Brian won the prizes listed below:

• $2,500 check from SPEC MIX Inc.
• $700 product certificate from STIHL
• Loaded Marshalltown SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 tool bag
• iQ Power Tools, a $200 iQ Gift Pack- iQ Jacket and shirt, 3 Blades (4½”, 7”, 14”)
• STABILA custom trophy 24-inch Level
• SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER trophy