Overlooking the Kentucky River valley Saturday, a handful of stone masons tapped and hand-fit stones to rebuild a section of stone wall.

The wall is more than 150 years old and time has taken its toll, as the only thing holding the walls together are friction and gravity.

More than a dozen masons from across the country came to Clark County to rebuild a section of wall and hopefully win cash and tools in the process.

Every other year, the Dry Stone Conservancy sponsors a national dry stone walling competition. Most times, the event was at Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, but this year’s event was at Lower Howards Creek Nature Preserve in Clark County.

“What makes ours different is this is mostly quarry stone, dry laid and no mortar,” said Jane Wooley, executive director of the Dry Stone Conservancy, which sponsored the competition. “This location may be more field-gathered stone.”

This year’s competition, which included workshops, was the first time in Clark County.

“We try to find a public place,” DSC treasurer and judge Seth Thomas said. “We also want a spot with a line of fence appropriate to build on.”

Competitors, who came from as far away as California and Kansas, are split into four divisions: novice, amateur, professional and returning champion. Each division is tasked with disassembling and rebuilding a length of the stone wall in question.

“We grade them on the foundation, whether they keep the line, how they put in their tie stones and the coping on the top,” Thomas said.

Competitors are expected to use the stone at hand efficiently, follow the original style of the wall and excessive use of hammers will be a deduction. Competitors could lose points if they fail to properly connect their sections. They were also expected to use stone from their own area, without prior permission from the stewards.

Each competitor had eight hours to complete their work in order to be judged.

In each division, cash and tool prizes were up for grabs for the winners.

Preserve manager Karis Pumphrey said the wall used Saturday followed the original alignment of Athens Boonesboro Road, before it was moved in 1853. Wooley said the wall was probably built by Scots-Irish in the 1840s or early 1850s.

“By protecting these walls, we can encourage others to do the same,” Pumphrey said. “It helps to preserve the heritage of the preserve.”

Stone walls run throughout the preserve’s property, she said.

“We have miles of walls,” she said. “Some of which are in excellent condition and some of which can benefit from this kind of project.”