Cincinnati area holds the 2014 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Regional Competition

Words: Brian TillettThe 8th annual Ohio SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Regional Competition was held at QUIKRETE Cincinnati on Saturday August 2, 2014. Nine teams of bricklayers and mason tenders vied for a competition spot in the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National competition held in Las Vegas, Nevada this coming February. There, they will compete for over $100,000 in cash and prizes including a new 2015 Ford F-250 4x4 Super Duty XLT truck.

A beautiful day with mild temperatures accompanied those in attendance which included family and friends of the competitors as well as the sponsors that help to make the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 a success nationwide. Representatives from sponsors such as Ford Commercial Trucks, iQ Power Tools, Essroc Italcementi Group, Multiquip, and Beta Max Hoist were in the crowd to cheer on our competitors as they vied for the top spot. All who attended enjoyed a BBQ picnic put on by QUIKRETE Ohio as well as games and drawings that not only handed out door prizes such as hats and t-shirts but also a $100 prize was given to the fan that was able to survive a heated match of “Heads or Tails”. This year’s competition was unique in the fact that the field of competitors was void of any winners from the previous eight Ohio Regionals. This created opportunity for a new winner to be crowned and represent Ohio for the first time in the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 in Las Vegas. Six of the nine masons were competing in the regional competition for the very first time and these new faces did not disappoint, as they took home 2 of the top 3 spots which included not only First Place but also the SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN Award.

Billy Gabbard, a mason with Jacob Masonry Contractors in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his mason tender Joe Telinda, edged out the rest of the competition to take home first place. His net count of 543 brick got the job done. Not only did first place carry the opportunity to compete in the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 in Las Vegas for Billy, but it also came with a $450 cash prize. Unbelievably, The SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN Award also went to Billy which netted him an additional $400 in cash. Andy Krallman of Miter Masonry in Cincinnati, Ohio finished as runner up taking home $400. Third place went to mason Scott Medlock of Jacob Masonry Contractors in Cincinnati, Ohio, who received $350.

Final Results

First Place

Mason — Billy Gabbard - 543 Brick
Tender — Joe Telinda
Jacob Masonry Contractors, Cincinnati, Ohio

SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN

Mason — Billy Gabbard - 543 Brick
Tender — Joe Telinda
Jacob Masonry Contractors, Cincinnati, Ohio

2nd Place

Mason — Andy Krallman - 452 Brick
Tender — Matt Goedde
Miter Masonry, Cincinnati, Ohio

3rd Place

Mason — Scott Medlock - 438 Brick
Tender — Darryl Messer
Jacob Masonry Contractors, Cincinnati, Ohio

For more information on the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER Regional Program call 888-SPECMIX or go to www.specmixbricklayer500.com.
Designing for Performance: Key Considerations for Efficient, Durable Masonry Projects
August 2026

A successful masonry project starts well before the first stone is set. The craftsmanship on site matters, of course, but many of the decisions that shape the final result are made much earlier—during design, detailing, and material selection. Those choic

Jeff Tew
MAP Partner
Manufactured Stone MAP Partner Stone (Exterior) Stone (Interior)
Read More
Change Orders: Standard Operating Procedure
August 2026

In masonry construction, change orders are not occasional events; they are guaranteed. Drawings do not always match field conditions, specifications can conflict, and real-world construction has a way of exposing gaps in design. At DRP Masonry, we operat

Donnie Williams
Resources
Read More
RFIs: Clarity, Communication and... Hierarchy?
August 2026

In construction, any project starts with drawings. Plans. Schedules. Specifications. Whether we're talking about new construction, additions, or restoration, there is a plan, there is design intent, and a way every piece of a project needs to fit together

Kate Vienna
Technical Talks
Read More
Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More