In front of the largest crowd in the 16-year history of the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 World Championship, David Chavez of Ranch Masonry in Houston, Texas, claimed the crown “World’s Best Bricklayer.” After 60-minutes of laying bricks against 27 other world-class masons, 34-year old Chavez put up a wall with 698 perfectly-placed brick (zero deductions) that earned him a 2018 Ford F-250 XLT 4×4 truck, an Essick EM120 HYD mortar mixer on top of $10,000 in cash and prizes. It was his third time qualifying for the championship event in Las Vegas (Chavez won second place in 2017).

With the help of his mason tender, Miguel Contreras, Chavez delivered his best performance in an arena packed with thousands of spectators. When asked about winning the event, Chavez said, “It has been a dream come true because the first time I saw the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 back in 2013 it seemed like an amazing event that I would like to participate in and win one day. I finally got my opportunity in 2015 but fell short, then again in 2017 I got so close when I placed second, and now finally my dream has come true.”

Of the 28 bricklayers and mason tender teams that competed for the event’s $125,000 purse, bricklayer Leif Reints of Wyandotte, Oklahoma, claimed the next highest ranking title, Spec Mix Top Craftsman. Reints claimed a 2018 John Deere GatorTM XUV 835 and another $10,000 in cash and prizes for his efforts. Reints (37) laid 625 brick without any craftsmanship deductions in which a 30 judge panel agreed was the “most sellable” wall. No stranger to the event, it was Reints’ sixth World Championship appearance. Reints previously claimed the World Champion title in 2012.

Standing beside Chavez and Reints in the winners’ circle, Second Place honors went to Brian Tuttle of Quik Trowell Masonry in Clearfield, Utah. A mason for 23 years, Brian laid 689 brick to win $4,000 and over $1,500 in sponsor prizes. His mason tender was his brother; best friend and business partner Scott Tuttle, who as a bricklayer was the 2016 Champion and 2012 Top Craftsman winner. Considered a veteran of the competition, over the past 16 years Brian competed 15 times; 9 times as a bricklayer and 6 times as a mason tender, an attendance record that has never been
challenged.

Rounding out the pool of winners was the 2017 defending champion Matt Cash of Huntley Brothers Company in Mint Hill, North Carolina. With a large crew of family and friends rooting him on, Cash (35) laid 658 brick to claim Third Place and a check for $3,000 plus $1,500 in prizes.