Road to Orlando: first regional Bricklayer 500 contest held in Geneva, III.

The skills and show portions of a county fair often demonstrate

What often counts more is the bragging rights in front of your peers. Whether it's a 4-H prize for best heifer, largest tomato, or best tasting apple pie, competition can be fierce.

So it was only natural that the organizers of the first regional Bricklayer 500 would expect that one of the six master masons gathered in the warm sun at the Kane County Fair, Geneva, Ill., would challenge the feat set by the participants in the first national competition conducted in Las Vegas earlier this year. But when Nick Blohowiak, Spec Mix's central regional manager, totaled up the figures and looked at the quality of the final walls, he was more than surprised.

Four of the finalists had placed more brick than the first winner at the Las Vegas contest. Blohowiak said that he shouldn't have been surprised. He recognized the winner's last name. The winner's brother had been a finalist in the effort to set the Guinness Book of World Records in brick laying. "I'm sure the older brother gave Mike some subtle tips that would make the difference," said Blohowiak.

Mike Boll, president of Boll Masonry, did have a plan. Before the event he took time to organize his home team cheering section. He gave a one-armed hug to his young daughter as he left the spectator section. With a coy smile he offered this advice to her: "Don't yell all the time because I won't hear you. But be sure to yell really loud when the time gets down to two minutes because I want to make sure I fill in all the holes."

Boll's plan, along with all the other secrets he didn't want to share, will become public knowledge soon enough. The young mason will have a chance to show his talents at the national competition on February 18, 2004, in Orlando as a part of the Mason Challenge event sponsored by MASONRY CONSTRUCTION magazine.

The event was the first regional competition hosted by local Spec Mix distributors. Brian Petty, president of Packaged Concrete Inc., the Chicago-area distributor, was on hand to award the $1000 prize to Boll, along with a gift certificate to defend the region's honor in Orlando.

"I give Shaun O'Malley, our regional sales manger, a lot of credit for arranging this effort," said Petty. "I know I'm already looking forward to next summer when we have more crews trying to take away Boll's crown."

Official Order of Finish

Place  Mason           Tender          Contractor           Brick
                                                            Placed

1      Mike Boll       Mike Vanek      Boll Masonry         714
2      Bert Schneider  Paul Shares     Helander             625
3      Noel Fano       Kory Magill     Helander             564
4      Dave Gough      Aric Lack       Gough Construction   543
5      Tarek Staszel   John Matoniak   Build One            509
6      Paul Maurer     Gerado Estrada  Illinois Masonry     490