Net zero greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico by 2030 delivers a brighter energy future.
Net zero greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico by 2030 delivers a brighter energy future.
An even brighter energy future is on the horizon: Net zero emission-reduction plan for New Mexico by 2030.
ExxonMobil is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®.
ExxonMobil is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Golden Anniversary of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, taking our support of this world-renowned tradition to new heights.
ExxonMobil is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Golden Anniversary of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, taking our support of this world-renowned tradition to new heights.
As a leading energy producer in New Mexico, we are focused on responsibly developing the state’s resources and doing our part to help realize New Mexicans’ aspirations for a prosperous and sustainable future. This includes our 2030 intensity-based emission-reduction plans that focus on driving industryleading performance while still meeting the needs of society. These emission-reduction plans cover Scope 1 and 2 emissions from assets we operate, compared to 2016 levels.
As a leading energy producer in New Mexico, we are focused on responsibly developing the state’s resources and doing our part to help realize New Mexicans’ aspirations for a prosperous and sustainable future. This includes our aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for our unconventional operations in the state by 2030.
As a leading energy producer in New Mexico, we are focused on responsibly developing the state’s resources and doing our part to help realize New Mexicans’ aspirations for a prosperous and sustainable future. This includes our aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for our unconventional operations in the state by 2030.
From all our employees at ExxonMobil and the crew of the Enchanted Horizons balloon, we look forward to seeing you at liftoff!
Follow us to learn more about what we’re doing today for a brighter energy future tomorrow
Follow us to learn more about what we’re doing today for a brighter energy future tomorrow.
Follow us to learn more about what we’re doing today for a brighter energy future tomorrow.
ExxonMobilNewMexico
ExxonMobilNewMexico
ExxonMobilNewMexico
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FEATURES
38 Bound to Read
48 Rare “Ring of Fire” Annular Eclipse
50 Balloon Fiesta® & the Land of International Enchantment
78 Wheel Estate: RVing at Balloon Fiesta
82 Albuquerque’s Ballooning Mayor
THE COUPE AÉRONAUTIQUE GORDON BENNETT
106 A World Championship Unlike Any Other
107 Gordon Bennett Records
108 Meet the Gordon Bennett Competitors
113 Gordon Bennett Officials
114 Gordon Bennett Past Winners
116 James Gordon Bennett, Jr.
117 The Gordon Bennett in the United States
123 Your Questions About the Gordon Bennett
128 It’s Not a Spy Balloon!
126 Three Days of “Aerial Camping”: Life Aloft in the Gordon Bennett
129 Women in the Coupe Gordon Bennett
WWelcome from the President, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®, Inc.
elcome to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta’s 51st edition!
Moving through the air in the gondola of a balloon offers an exhilarating “View from Above” of the vibrant Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta field and the New Mexico landscape. Other balloons create a canopy of color as they lift off and move quietly below. The silent motion of a hot air balloon is punctuated by the whooshing burst of sound from its burner or friendly greetings from spectators below. As the voyage continues beyond the launch field, once-unseen wildlife jump clearly into view.
The experiences felt, seen and heard by the pilot and passengers from above are only matched by the experiences of those on the ground, watching hundreds of balloons simultaneously inflate and launch into the expansive New Mexico sky or glow in the pre-dawn or post-sunset hour. The 80-acre launch field provides plenty of opportunity for spectators to move away from crowds and immerse themselves in the event by getting up close to the balloons and crews.
Once again more than 550 pilots and their crews of traditional and special shape hot air balloons and gas balloons, representing 16 countries, are uniting in Albuquerque for your enjoyment and the camaraderie of the sport. This year is particularly special as the United States and Balloon Fiesta welcome the 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the world’s oldest air race and the world championships for gas ballooning. This is only the fifth time this event has been held in the United
States in the last 40 years. Eighteen hydrogen filled balloons will launch, each with two of the world’s most distinguished pilots seeking to fly the farthest from the launch field over the course of days to win. The teams’ progress can be viewed in real time on Main Street, via the free YB Tracking app, or on Balloon Fiesta’s website. The evening launch of the gas balloons, with each team’s national anthem playing as they ascend, is an experience not to be missed.
While hot air balloons are the stars of the show during mass ascensions and competitions throughout the week, there is plenty of other entertainment. From a 500-drone light show, to skydivers, to sand sculptors, music and shopping we believe there is truly something for everyone!
Balloon Fiesta’s Board of Directors, staff and thousands of volunteers (Navigators) work year-round to ensure your enjoyment of this spectacular event. Thank you to all of them and to our pilots, balloon crews, sponsors and government partners for their unwavering commitment to the success of this event.
Welcome to Balloon Fiesta! Thank you for joining us and enjoy the view from below or above!
Judith K. Nakamura President
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Welcome to the 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®, Powered by ExxonMobil. We are proud to serve as the Presenting Sponsor for one of New Mexico’s most loved and spectacular traditions. We have been a partner since 2019 and became Presenting Sponsor for the 50th, 51st and upcoming 52nd Fiesta. New this year is our richly colored balloon that pays tribute to the beauty of New Mexico’s horizon during dawn and dusk. Be on the lookout for ExxonMobil’s Enchanted Horizons.
Balloon Fiesta has grown into the largest and most photographed hot air balloon festival in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. People come from all over the globe to experience the magic of Fiesta® and the charm of New Mexico – there’s a reason it is called The Land of Enchantment! This 9-day series of festivities plays a vital role in fueling the local and regional economy, generating more than $203.19 million in economic impact to the Albuquerque area annually. We are truly honored to help power this incredible economic engine.
The are focused on developing the state’s environment and unparalleled natural beauty.
Welcome from Kartik Garg, New Mexico Production Manager for ExxonMobil
emission-reduction plans cover Scope 1 and 2 emissions from assets we operate, compared to 2016 levels.
Balloon Fiesta – perhaps better than any other event – showcases the true beauty of New Mexico and its communities. On behalf of our employees who work and live here, I would like to offer our sincerest thanks to the Fiesta staff, balloonists, volunteers and local businesses for making this event a success. We look forward to another spectacular Fiesta and wish you the most memorable experience.
We’ll see you at liftoff!
Kartik Garg New Mexico Production Manager
Energy plays an important role in New Mexico, and as a leading energy producer here, our responsible development of Permian Basin resources is expected to generate billions in net economic benefits for the state and local communities over the next 40 years, creating new jobs and providing increased funding for education, health and human services and infrastructure improvements. We are focused on developing the state’s resources responsibly and in a manner that supports the preservation of New Mexico’s environment and unparalleled natural beauty. An even brighter energy future is on the horizon. Our intensity-based 2030 emission-reduction plans focus on driving industry-leading performance while still meeting the needs of society. These
Our intensity-based 2030 emission-reduction plans focus on driving industry-leading performance
ExxonMobil
Net zero greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico by 2030
delivers a brighter energy future.
Net zero greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico by 2030 delivers a brighter energy future.
An even brighter energy future is on the horizon
We are honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Powered by ExxonMobil. We believe New Mexico’s skies are just as enchanting as its lands, which is why we designed our hot air balloon to resemble the state’s horizon at dawn and dusk.
As a leading energy producer in New Mexico, we remain focused on developing the state’s resources responsibly and in a manner that supports the preservation of its environment and unparalleled natural beauty. ExxonMobil aims to play a key role in the energy transition, and we continue to advance innovative solutions for a lower-emission energy future by leveraging our global scale and technical expertise to develop breakthrough solutions in areas such as carbon capture, biofuels, and hydrogen.
ExxonMobil is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Golden Anniversary of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, taking our support of this world-renowned tradition to new heights.
ExxonMobil is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Golden Anniversary of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, taking our support of this world-renowned tradition to new heights.
On behalf of our employees who live and work in New Mexico, we look forward to seeing you when ExxonMobil’s Enchanted Horizons lifts off!
As a leading energy producer in New Mexico, we are focused on responsibly developing the state’s resources and doing our part to help realize New Mexicans’ aspirations for a prosperous and sustainable future. This includes our aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for our unconventional operations in the state by 2030.
As a leading energy producer in New Mexico, we are focused on responsibly developing the state’s resources and doing our part to help realize New Mexicans’ aspirations for a prosperous and sustainable future. This includes our aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for our unconventional operations in the state by 2030.
Follow us to learn more about what we’re doing today for a brighter energy future tomorrow
Follow us to learn more about what we’re doing today for a brighter energy future tomorrow.
Follow us to learn more about what we’re doing today for a brighter energy future tomorrow.
ExxonMobilNewMexico
ExxonMobilNewMexico
ExxonMobilNewMexico
WWelcome from the Governor, State of New Mexico
elcome to the Land of Enchantment!
I am delighted you are joining us for the 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
For nine days, more than 500 balloons will fill the skies during one of our state’s most spectacular celebrations – and one of the most photographed events in the world!
I invite you to explore everything our state has to offer, from visiting a new restaurant for some of our famous red, green or “Christmas” chile, to hitting the trails in our beautiful state parks, to expanding your horizons with a visit to one of our world-renowned museums. New Mexico truly has something for everyone.
I hope you have the experience of a lifetime here in the Land of Enchantment.
Michelle Lujan Grisham Governor
DWelcome from the Mayor, City of Albuquerque
ear Balloon Fiesta participants, guests, and sponsors;
We are so excited to welcome you to Albuquerque for the 51st Annual International Balloon Fiesta. This festival is a pillar of our community, and a special tradition enjoyed by folks from our hometown and all over the world.
Whether it’s an early morning ascension or an evening glow, there are many different ways to see balloonists in action against the beautiful backdrop of our Sandia Mountains. This year, our Balloon Fiesta activities also happen to coincide with the 2023 annular solar eclipse. Come witness this celestial event during the iconic Mass Ascension on October 14, and learn about our incredible universe from NASA experts who will be on-site.
you aren’t chasing balloons through the city or hanging out with family at Balloon Fiesta Park. From strolling through Old Town, to hiking through our colorful Bosque, to trying traditional New Mexican cuisine at one of our many family-owned restaurants, there are so many ways to make the most of your visit.
Thank you for celebrating the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with us!
Sincerely,
We encourage everyone visiting to take the opportunity to explore Albuquerque and enjoy our unique culture while
Timothy M. Keller Mayor
No matter how many times you set foot in Albuquerque, you’ll never run out of ways to celebrate the city’s culture, art, cuisine and more. From food trucks to fne dining and from museums to live music, there is always something new to fnd in Albuquerque. Whether your plans include a bike ride, a hot air balloon ride or an aerial tram ride, each day is an adventure. For ideas, start at ABQ365. Our blog and calendar of events are the perfect tools for discovering all that Albuquerque has to offer. #TrueABQ
Your Guide to Balloon Fiesta Events
Morning Events:
Albuquerque Aloft
Friday, October 6 approximately 7:00 AM: On the Friday before Balloon Fiesta begins, balloons fly from schools in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Some school PTAs sell food and hot beverages, making the Balloon Fiesta’s visit to their school a true community event.
Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort and Casino:
5:45 AM on Saturdays and Sundays: Inaugurated last year to celebrate the Balloon Fiesta’s 50th anniversary, the show was an instant hit, featuring hundreds of drones painting pictures in the sky. This year’s drone performance will be even more spectacular!
Dawn Patrol/Dawn Patrol Show presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Park
Daily: This “balloon glow in the sky” features as many as a dozen balloons. On Mass Ascension days, pilots perform the Dawn Patrol Show, a choreographed inflation and launch that has been part of the Balloon Fiesta since 1997.
Mass Ascensions/Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
Weekends and Wednesday: The spectacular Mass Ascensions of hundreds of hot-air balloons are the Balloon Fiesta’s signature events and are preceded by the Krispy Kreme Morning Glow, a “mini” balloon glow. Special Mass Ascensions on Thursday and Friday October 12 and 13 feature “special shape” balloons.
Fiesta de Los Globitos (Radio-Controlled Balloons):
Sunday, October 8, Wednesday, October 11, Friday, October 13: This mini-mass ascension features one of the world’s largest gatherings of radio-controlled balloons. RC balloons, or “globitos,” are rapidly gaining in popularity, do not require a license to fly, and are opening the world of ballooning to a whole new group of enthusiasts.
Competitions:
Weekdays: In ballooning competitions, pilots use winds at different altitudes to reach a target and drop a marker so it lands as close to the center of the target as possible. The competitions also feature the Pole Grab and Ring Toss, where pilots fly to poles at Balloon Fiesta Park to win fabulous prizes! Overall winners are determined by individual pilots’ cumulative scores during Balloon Fiesta week.
Flight of the Nations
Wednesday, October 11: The Flight of the Nations at Wednesday’s Mass Ascension especially honors pilots from all the nations participating in Balloon Fiesta, many of whom launch flying their national flag.
Special Shape Rodeo
Thursday and Friday, October 12 and 13: Celebrating their 34th year, these special mass ascensions especially showcase the incredible craftsmanship, creativity, and artistry that makes monsters, critters, and just about anything else you can imagine take flight.
Annular Eclipse
Saturday morning, October 14
Balloon Fiesta Park is in the direct path of a very rare celestial event, an annular or “ring of fire” eclipse which will reach 90% of totality. That should occur at 10:34 AM and last nearly five minutes. Learn more about the annular eclipse on page 48.
And Don’t Miss!
Music FiestaTM Featuring Lee Brice
Presented by Nash KRST 92.3 and Coca Cola
1 PM Saturday, October 14: This exciting afternoon event spotlights country music superstar Lee Brice, along with Runaway June and the pride of Bernalillo, Brandon Saiz. Your admission also gets you into the Night Magic Glow and AfterGlow Fireworks Show! For more on this event, visit page 20.
Evening Events
Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett: Gas
Ballooning World Championships
Launch window opens Saturday, October 7, approximately 6 PM: The Coupe Gordon Bennett is the world’s oldest and most prestigious air race, founded in 1906. Eighteen championship teams from nine nations will try to outfly each other by achieving the greatest distance from Albuquerque. This is the first time in 15 years the race has been held in the U.S. You can learn more about this world-class event beginning on page 105.
Team FastraxTM Skydiving,sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
At all evening events: See the daring members of Team Fastrax thrill guests with precision skydiving performances featuring flags and pyrotechnics.
Balloon Glows
Saturday, October 7, Sunday, October 8, powered by ExxonMobil, and Saturday, October 14: The static displays of illuminated balloons known as “Balloon Glows” are among the Balloon Fiesta’s most popular events. Special shape balloons have their own balloon glows on Thursday and Friday of Balloon Fiesta week.
Special Shape GlowdeoTM
Thursday, October 12, and Friday, October 13: The fantastic special shape balloons are even more fantastic in the glow of early evening! The Special Shape Glowdeo features everyone’s favorite shapes, from bees to birds to bears. Come early, because this is one of the Balloon Fiesta’s most popular events!
Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort and Casino:
7:45 PM on Saturday, October 7, Sunday, October 8, Thursday, October 12, Friday, October 13, and Saturday, October 14, immediately after the Glows note that times may change due to field and weather conditions. One of the Balloon Fiesta’s latest editions, guests love this show featuring hundreds of drones painting pictures in the sky.
AfterGlowTM Fireworks Show
Saturday, October 7, Sunday, October 8, Thursday, October 12, Friday, October 13, and Saturday, October 14, immediately after the Glows; note that AfterGlow times may change due to field and weather conditions. The fireworks shows at the Balloon Fiesta are some of the best performed anywhere! Plan to stay after the balloon glows to enjoy the spectacle!
And there’s still more to do!
Main Street shopping! Chainsaw Carving International! Fiesta of Wheels Car Show! Kites! Pin trading! Balloon Discovery Center! Artisans Tent! Main Stage performances! Great American Kite Show and sand artist! And more! Enjoy Balloon Fiesta’s many activities that don’t include balloons! Check online at BalloonFiesta.com or on our social media pages for details and times.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6
7:00am Albuquerque Aloft (at local elementary schools)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7
5:45am Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
6:00am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Resort
6:30am Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
7:00am Opening Ceremonies
7:00am Mass Ascension
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
10:00am Chainsaw Carving Auction
2:00pm Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Inflation
3:00-6:00pm Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
4:00-5:00pm Great American Kite Show
5:00pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
6:00pm Gordon Bennett Balloon Race Launch
6:00pm Twilight Twinkle Glow™
7:30pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
7:45pm Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
8:00pm AfterGlow™ Fireworks Show*
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8
5:45am Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
6:00am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Resort
6:30am Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
7:00am Mass Ascension
7:30-11:00am Fiestas de Los Globitos (Remote Control Balloons Exhibition)
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
9:00am Fiesta of Wheels Car Show (located on north end of launch field)
10:00am Chainsaw Carving Auction
11:00am Balloon Fiesta Pin Trading (Group Tour Tent, north end of Main Street)
3:00-6:00pm Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
4:00-5:00pm Great American Kite Show
5:00pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
6:00pm Balloon Glow, powered by ExxonMobil
7:30pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
7:45pm Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
8:00pm AfterGlow™ Fireworks Show*
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9
6:00am Dawn Patrol
7:00am Balloon Launch
8:00am Fly In Competition Launch
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 | COCA-COLA DAY
6:00am Dawn Patrol
7:00am Balloon Launch
8:00am Fly In Competition Launch
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11
6:00am Dawn Patrol Show, presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Resort
6:30am Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
7:00am Flight of the Nations Mass Ascension
7:30-11:00am Fiestas de Los Globitos (Remote Control Balloon Exhibition)
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12
6:00am Dawn Patrol
7:00am Special Shape Rodeo™
7:00am Balloon Launch
8:00am Fly In Competition Launch
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
10:00am Chainsaw Carving Auction
3:00-6:00pm Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
4:00-5:00pm Great American Kite Show
5:00pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
6:00pm Special Shape Glowdeo™
7:30pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
7:45pm Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
8:00pm AfterGlow™ Fireworks Show*
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 | KIDS’ DAY SPONSORED BY CHICK-FIL-A
4:30 am Kids’ Day Goodie Bag Distribution begins (South of the Main Street Stage)
6:00am Dawn Patrol
7:00am Special Shape Rodeo™
7:00am Balloon Launch
7:30-11:00am Fiestas de Los Globitos (Remote Control Balloon Exhibition)
8:00am Fly In Competition Launch
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
10:00am Chainsaw Carving Auction
3:00-6:00pm Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
4:00-5:00pm Great American Kite Show
5:00pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
6:00pm Special Shape Glowdeo™
7:30pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
7:45pm Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
8:00pm AfterGlow™ Fireworks Show*
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 | EXXONMOBIL DAY
5:45am Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
6:00am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Resort
6:30am Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
7:00am Mass Ascension, powered by ExxonMobil
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
9:13am-12:09pm Annular Solar Eclipse
10:00-11:00am Great American Kite Show
10:00am Chainsaw Carving Auction
10:15am Eclipse Balloon Glow
11:00am Balloon Fiesta Pin Trading (Group Tour Tent, north end of Main Street)
1:00-5:00pm Music Fiesta™
3:00-6:00pm Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
5:00pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
6:00pm Night Magic™ Glow, powered by ExxonMobil
6:00pm Fiestas de Los Globitos Glow (Remote Control Balloons Exhibition)
7:30pm Team Fastrax™ Skydiving, sponsored by Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
7:45pm Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
8:00pm AfterGlow™ Fireworks Show*
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15
5:45am Drone Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino
6:00am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Resort
6:30am Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
7:00am Farewell Mass Ascension, presented by News Radio 770 KKOB
8:00-noon Chainsaw Carving Exhibition
*AfterGlow™ fireworks shows and Drone Show will begin as soon as the launch field is clear of balloons, thus the starting times are approximate and subject to change without notice. Additionally, local police will modify traffic flows to utilize all traffic lanes for outbound traffic only at the conclusion of each glow event. So, if you want to watch the AfterGlow™ fireworks shows from the Park, plan to arrive at the Park in time for that evening’s glow event.
ADMISSION
Balloon Fiesta® Points of Interest
Admission is $15 for adults (13 and over). Children 12 and under are FREE.Adults, 13 years and older will be required to pay an admission charge for each morning or evening session they attend. No refunds are available but tickets for cancelled sessions may be used as a raincheck for future sessions. We have also indicated the gates that have our ticket booths.
ARTISANS TENT
Artisans at Balloon Fiesta® is the only art and craft show found on-site at Balloon Fiesta and is free with your admission in to the event.The Artisan tent is at the north end of Main Street and features over 20 artisans selected to participate.There is a little something for everyone, so be sure to stroll through our tent and take home a wonderful handcrafted souvenir.
BALLOON DISCOVERYCENTER
Interactive balloon exhibits demonstrate the principles of lighter-than-air flight and the history of ballooning. Morning Sessions 5:30 -10:30am Evening Sessions 3:30 - 7:30pm.
BALLOON RIDES
Experience the joy of ballooning with a balloon ride during Balloon Fiesta. Call Rainbow Ryders at 505-823-1111 or visit rainbowryders.com.
CANTINA
Located on the east side of the park on Main Street, mid-field serving drinks.
CHASERS' CLUB
This package includes: admission to the event, guaranteed seating in an open-air patio next to the launch field, food, private restrooms and access to a full cash bar.
CHASE CREW HEADQUARTERS Sign up to be Chase Crew daily.
- Morning Events - 5:30 am - 9:00 am
- Evening Events - 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
FIESTASKYBOX
This is an all-inclusive VIPpackage that includes: premium parking, admission to the event, specialty grazing boxes, host bar, restrooms and private access to a specially designed shipping container with a patio located on the launch field.
GONDOLACLUB
Experience the event away from the crowds in a VIPopen air patio.Your ticket includes: admission to the event, parking, seating, premium buffet, host bar, private restrooms, golf cart shuttle service from the parking area and more.
MAIN STREET
Food and Merchandise available. Booths 1-176 south to north.
From the east side ofAlbuquerque, take Exit 233 (Alameda) or Exit 234 (Tramway) off I-25 and follow the signs. From the west side of Albuquerque, east onAlameda Blvd. and follow the signs. Parking is $20. Detailed parking maps are available online at balloonfiesta.com. Multiple session parking passes may be purchased in advance at the Balloon Fiesta office. Please remember your gate color and number when entering Balloon Fiesta Park.
PARK & RIDE
Let us do the driving! Purchase your Park & Ride tickets online and save. For hours, locations and services visit balloonfiesta.com under Guest Info tab.
REMOTE CONTROLBALLOONS
These are miniature balloons powered by remote control.They are 25’tall versus a standard balloon that is almost 100’tall.There are round balloons and special shapes.They do not require pilot certification, can be do-it-yourself and they do not carry passengers. Just fun for all!
RV PARKS
There are several RV parks at Balloon Fiesta Park.
STATUS FLAG
Please check the flag on this pole for the status of the day's balloon activities: GREEN - all flights or inflations are“go”
YELLOW - flights or inflations are either on“hold”or the decision has not yet been made RED - flights and inflations for that session have been cancelled
TAGYOUR TOTS - Sponsored by KRQE News 13/Fox New Mexico
Reuniting lost children with their parents quickly and safely is the aim of a free wristband plan operated by the NM State Police.
Survival Map
Music Fiesta
Lee Brice
GRAMMY nominee, CMA and ACM award winner, singersongwriter, entrepreneur, and proud father of three: Lee Brice is all of these and more. Lee has nine #1-selling singles to his credit, including “Memory I Don’t Mess With,” ASCAP’s 2021 Country Song of the Year and 3x Platinum track “One of Them Girls,”, and the 4x Platinum hit “Rumor,” which was nominated in the category Single of The Year at the 55th Annual ACM Awards. Lee’s song with Carly Pearce, “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” earned Musical Event of the Year honors at the 54th CMA Awards and Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year at
the 56th ACM Awards. One of the most-played country artists of all time on Pandora, he was the second country artist behind Keith Urban to receive the Pandora Billionaire plaque. He’s performed on numerous TV shows, his tours sell out arenas, and Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and others have recorded his songs. Some of his other hits include “A Woman Like You,” “Hard to Love,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “I Don’t Dance,” and “Drinking Class.” Lee’s latest album, “Hey World,” is certified Platinum and features current radio single “Save the Roses.”
Lee Brice
Runaway June
Strong-minded, soft-hearted, and wildly free-spirited, Runaway June band members Jennifer Wayne, Natalie Stovall and Stevie Woodward possesses the kind of powerhouse talent and radiant charisma that fully commands the spotlight and stirs up a whole world of feeling. The trio already has earned nominations from the Academy of Country Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards, brought their electrifying live set to spots on tour with Country icons like Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, and scored a major radio hit with their GOLD-certified breakthrough single “Buy My Own Drinks.” Other hits include “Make Me Wanna Smoke,” and the heartbreak rocker “Broken Hearts (Do Broken Things).” “You typically don’t see women shredding onstage the way we do, and I think people really love seeing how much fun we have up there,” says Woodward. Wayne adds, “My favorite thing is when people say to us, ‘We can tell how much fun you girls are having onstage, and it makes us feel good too.”
Brandon Saiz
Influenced by his father, Brandon Saiz has been around the music industry his entire life. Born and raised in Bernalillo, New Mexico he grew up listening to greats such as Merle Haggard, Garth Brooks, and George Strait. Brandon has since honed his unique country sound and energetic performances with his 2019 single release “Tequila & Two Step” that has been streamed over 100,000 times in over 67 countries, and has released two other singles “That’ll Make You a Cowboy” and “A World I’ve Never Had.” The Brandon Saiz Band has shared the stage with Nashville recording artists Love & Theft, Josh Grider, Josh Ward, David Adam Byrnes, William Michael Morgan and many more, and performed at venues and festivals throughout New Mexico, Colorado and surrounding states.
The fun begins at 1 PM, and Music Fiesta fans may choose from a wide variety of ticket options, including our “Dance Box”, a grassy area right in front of the stage for those who want to kick off their shoes and dance all afternoon! And for those who want a true V.I.P. experience, the Balloon Fiesta also offers a very special “Ultimate Music Fiesta Package” at $499 which includes exclusive front-row seating, dinner in the Gondola Club following the concert, preferred parking, and lots of other goodies. Full details and tickets are available at Balloon Fiesta gates or through the Balloon Fiesta website, www.balloonfiesta.com.
Music Fiesta Ticket Options
ABQ “Dance” Box - Ticket required for persons of all ages. $75
Reserved Seating A and C - Ticket required for persons of all ages. $65
Reserved Seating E - Ticket required for persons of all ages. $60
Reserved Seating D and F - Ticket required for persons of all ages. $55
Premier Lawn Area (Children 12 and under admitted free when $30 accompanied by an adult.)
General Admission (Children 12 and under admitted free when $15 accompanied by an adult.)
Music Fiesta is rain or shine: no refunds
Runaway June
Brandon Saiz
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®
2023 Entertainment Schedule
PERFORMER
PERFORMANCE AREA
Enchanted Mesa Show Chorus National AnthemSaturday 10/7/23 6:45AM
Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dance Group Main Street StageSaturday 10/7/23 9:00AM - 10:00AM
USAF Academy Band Main Street StageSaturday 10/7/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Black Pearl Band NM Main Street StageSaturday 10/7/23 8:00PM - 9:00PM
Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo México Main Street - NORTHSaturday 10/7/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHSaturday 10/7/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Mariachi Tenampa Main Street - NORTHSaturday 10/7/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHSaturday 10/7/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
USAF Academy Band National AnthemSunday 10/8/23 7:00AM
USAF Academy Band Main Street StageSunday 10/8/23 9:00AM - 10:00AM
The Panhandlers Main Street StageSunday 10/8/23 5:00PM -6:00PM
Austin Van Main Street StageSunday 10/8/23 8:00PM - 9:00PM
Mariachi Tenampa Main Street - NORTHSunday 10/8/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHSunday 10/8/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo México Main Street - NORTHSunday 10/8/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHSunday 10/8/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Leah Black National AnthemMonday 10/9/23 7:00AM
Suzan Tipton National AnthemTuesday 10/10/23 7:00AM
The New MexiChords National AnthemWednesday 10/11/23 7:00AM
Erin Michelle
National AnthemThursday 10/12/23 7:00AM
Erin Michelle Main Street StageThursday 10/12/23 9:00AM - 10:00AM
Derryl Perry Main Street StageThursday 10/12/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Mountain Top Rock Main Street StageThursday 10/12/23 8:00PM - 9:00PM
Mariachi Tenampa Main Street - NORTHThursday 10/12/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHThursday 10/12/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo México Main Street - NORTHThursday 10/12/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHThursday 10/12/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Albuquerque Girl Choir
National AnthemFriday 10/13/23 7:00AM
Kallestewa Dance Group Main Street StageFriday 10/13/23 9:00AM - 10:00AM
Sim Balkey and His Honky Tonk Crew Main Street StageFriday 10/13/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Sim Balkey and His Honky Tonk Crew Main Street StageFriday 10/13/23 8:00PM - 9:00PM
Mariachi Tenampa Main Street - NORTHFriday 10/13/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHFriday 10/13/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo México Main Street - NORTHFriday 10/13/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHFriday 10/13/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
44th Army Band National AnthemSaturday 10/14/23 7:00AM
44th Army Band Main Street StageSaturday 10/14/23 9:00AM - 10:00AM
Nathaniel Krantz Main Street StageSaturday 10/14/23 8:00PM - 9:00PM
Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo México Main Street - NORTHSaturday 10/14/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHSaturday 10/14/23 9:30 AM - 10:30AM
Mariachi Tenampa Main Street - NORTHSaturday 10/14/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Baila! Baila! Dance Academy Main Street - SOUTHSaturday 10/14/23 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Entourage Jazz Sponsor HospitalitySaturday 10/14/23 5:00PM - 6:30PM
Vohn National AnthemSunday 10/15/23 7:00AM
2023 Board Of Directors
Judith K. Nakamura PRESIDENT Neil Jackson VICE PRESIDENT
Jeff Lawrence TREASURER
Mark Sullivan SECRETARY
J.R. Allison Tania Armenta Raymond Bair
Gary Bennett Peg Billson
Jay Czar
John C. Davis IV Barbara Fricke
Jim Garcia Matt Guthrie
Steven A. Komadina, M.D. Rodney A. May Tom McConnell, M.D. Dick Rice
Doug Schwebach
Harry Season John Sena Al Tetreault
Bill Walker Ty Young
2023 Staff
Stage Announcer
2023 Balloon Fiesta Live! Hosts and PA Announcers
Glen Moyer Art Lloyd Jr.
Bill Royal
Amanda Brady TRANSPORTATION MANAGER
Tom Garrity MEDIA DIRECTOR
Mike McKnight IS MANAGER
Stephanie Prendergast SPONSORSHIP SALES DIRECTOR
Taylor Caldwell PILOT COORDINATOR
Shamaine Giannini VIP HOSPITALITY MANAGER
Cavell Miller RECEPTIONIST
Jennifer Schurman RV MANAGER
Mary Chando BOOKKEEPER
Martha Gonzales CONTROLLER
Andie Mercer MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE
Jory Slingerland SPONSORSHIP SALES ASSISTANT
Curt Dahlquest WAREHOUSE MANAGER
Amanda Molina MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE
Ken Tuley VIDEO PRODUCER
Damien Duran-Arias FIELD MANAGER
Tracey Hawkins NAVIGATOR MANAGER/ BALLOON DISCOVERY CENTER
Lisa Mulder MERCHANDISE MANAGER
Sean Wallace PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR
Jennifer Garcia EVENT DIRECTOR
Chani Kaibetoney ASSISTANT MERCHANDISE MANAGER
Sam Parks EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Erica Hahn CONCESSIONS/ARTISANS/MAIN STREET ENTERTAINMENT/ MUSIC FIESTA
2023 Officials
Balloonmeister
Henry Rosenbaum
Assistant Balloonmeister
Peg Billson
Safety Officials
Tom Bueno, Chief Safety Official
Melissa Bond
Neida Courtney Bueno
Henry Gabaldon
Mike Garcia
Alex Jonard II
Ted Maes
Bill Noe
Dale Pattyn
Chuck Raskob
Thomas Schroeder
Paul Suttle
Dave Tennis
Administrative Assistant
Lyn Kirkwood
Scanning Lead
Monica Jonard
Weather Officials
Duncan Dunavent
Katherine Kelly
Randy Lefevre
Caryn Welz
Landowner Relations
Scoring Officials
Rita Brennan, Chief Scoring Official
Jon Kirkwood, Assistant Chief Scoring Official
Amy Asper, Chief of Targets
John Abel
Joyce Abel
Patty Biddison
John Brennan
Melissa Brennan
Taylor Currier
Mike Gilligan
Sean Healy
Harold Jackson
Blake Jordan
Carl Kinnard
Penny Lucero
Jay Luna
Tammy Luna
Becca McConaghy
Jürgen Rimac
Karin Rimac
Patricia Ann Rudy-Baese
Virginia Sanchez
Debbie Taylor
Remembering Doug Gallagher
Sharon Welz-Garassino
Pam Wilson
Susan Kinnard
Bob Lucero
Brad Temeyer, Chief Weather Official
Nancy Wertz, Chief Landowner Relations Official
Wally Book
Karen Brown
Jim Holley
Nancy Holley
Larry Merry
Janette Stone
Orbin Stone
Steve Wilson
Launch Directors
Michelle Healy, Chief Launch Director
Chris Padilla, Assistant Chief Launch Director
Cliff Holman, North/South Section Lead
Lynn Tillery, North/South Section Lead
Jay Pape, Assistant South Section Lead
Anna Brody, Assistant North Section Lead
Joseph Ballengee
Zachary Brandon
Bill Brennan
Kat Brennan
Elisa Bustamante
Tom Christopher
David Crossland
Jeff Dill
Ethan Dixon
Adam Ewert
Karen Fleetwood
Deztini Ford
Kevin French
Lora McKown
Christina Meadows
Jeanie Moughan
Karen Nordquist
Caitlin Odom
Sarah Pearson
Katrin Phillips
Ron Phillips
Emily Pine
Bill Rager
Jeff Renegar
Debbie Sanchez
Samantha Sanchez
The Balloon Fiesta® depends on the expertise of skilled pilots and officials to coordinate a safe and fun event for pilots and guests. Doug Gallagher was both. In 1979, Doug became a launch director, moving up the ranks to become Chief Launch Officer (1982), Assistant Balloonmeister (1984), and Balloonmeister (1985). After taking a few years “off” to fly in the Balloon Fiesta as a pilot, Doug became a Safety Officer in 1994 and served in that capacity for more than a quarter of a century, through last year. Doug passed away this summer, and the Balloon Fiesta misses him and mourns his loss.
Balloon Refueling Area
Mike Chandler, Balloon Refueling Chief
Larry Gensinger
Daniel Schulz
Debbie Gonzales
Ruben Gonzales
Theodore Gransbury
Bill Hurlbert
Kim Kelbe
Scott Lang
Alice Lindsay
Nicole Tagart
Mike Taylor
Michael Trahan
Laura Virgin
Lawrence Wambold
Kimberly Whiteman
Shawn Leonard
Rachael Lujan
Danny McCoy
Martha McKinney
Rachel Wills
Daniel Wilson
Janice Wrhel
Glenn Young
Michael Zink
Albuquerque International
Fiesta® Official Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Official Sponsors
96.3 News Radio KKOB-FM
Voice of Balloon Fiesta
Accident Insurance Company, Inc.
Team Fastrax™
Albertsons Market Supermarket
BayoTech, Inc.
Hydrogen Sponsor of 66th Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett
Chick-fil-A
Kids’ Day
Coca-Cola
Soft Drink
Creamland Dairies
Dairy
Dos Equis
Import Beer
Dunkin’
Coffee
Isleta Resort & Casino
Launch Field Pylons
Jameson Irish Whiskey Whiskey
Jose Cuervo Tequila Tequila
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
Lovelace Health System
Healthcare Provider
Netflix Media, LLC
Balloon Basket Banners
New Mexico Bank & Trust
Bank
New Mexico True
Flight of Nations
PNC Bank
Balloon Discovery Center
Poulin Remodeling, Inc.
S.A.V.E Vehicle
Sandia Resort & Casino
Drone Light Show
Three Olives Vodka
Vodka
University of New Mexico Sports Properties
Balloon Trading Cards
Visit Albuquerque
Visitors
Xfinity Navigators
Sponsors
Kiwanis Club of Albuquerque
KOB-TV
KRQE News 13/FOX New Mexico
Kubicek Balloons
LeafFilter North, LLC
Lectric eBikes
LightHouse Business Information Solutions, LLC
Lindstrand Balloons, USA
Meow Wolf
Mission Linen
Molson Coors
NASA
NATCA
National Park Service
Niagara Bottling, LLC
A Virtual Receptionist, Inc.
Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program
AMERIND Benefits, LLC
Arizona Tile
Baca’s Trees, Inc.
Begum & Cowen, LLC
Bobby J’s Yamaha
Books on the Bosque, LLCC
Cabela’s, LLC
Cameron Balloons
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
Cavender’s
Chalmers Ford, Inc.
Chevrolet
City of Page, Arizona
City of Rio Rancho
Coronado Center
Cottonwood Mall
Digitool, USA
Donate Life - New Mexico Donor Services
Dreamstyle Remodeling
Electric Playhouse, Inc.
New Mexico State University
NUPAC of New Mexico
Occidental USA, Inc.
Open Roads
PlainsCapital Bank | Hilltop Securities
Preventive Pest Control, LLC
Rainbow Ryders, Inc.
RAKS Building Supply
Re/Max Marketing Fund, LLC
Realty One of New Mexico
Republic National Distributing Company, Inc.
Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network
Route 66 Casino Hotel & RV Resort
RPS
Siarza Social Digital
Sullair, LLC
Sumo
TBC General Contracting
Team R&S Powersports Group
Team Texas
Telemundo of New Mexico, LLC
Farmers Insurance, Rod Baca Agency
Federal Aviation Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Fidelity Investments
First Financial Credit Union
Ford Motor Company
Frost Mortgage Banking Group
HollyFrontier Refining & Marketing, LLC
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Jennifer Riordan Foundation
Kampgrounds of America, Inc.
The Garrity Group Public Relations, LLC
The Maez Group
TLC Plumbing & Utility
T-Mobile USA, Inc.
TransPerfect Global, Inc.
UltraMagic, S.A.
United States Coast Guard Recruiting Office
UNM Health Sciences Center
Waste Management of New Mexico
Westwind Computer Products, Inc.
Wonder Bread
Xfinity
Balloon
Balloon Fiesta® Photography Tips
Dawn Patrol
Have Fun and Be Unique
Here are some tips for getting amazing images of this spectacular event!
Rising into the dark skies each morning is the Dawn Patrol. At about 6:00 am every day, Dawn Patrol pilots launch into the sky with only their burners to light the way.
Pro Tip: Early in the morning, we suggest using a tripod and remote. If you use your tripod and have an IS lens, make sure you turn off the IS function while you shoot. Since the balloons lift off while it’s still dark outside, a wide-angle lens is ideal.
Mass Ascension
Imagine seeing nothing but 600 brightly colored orbs and shape balloons where ever you look. Pilots will fire up their burners, shooting flames into the balloons to inflate them.
Pro Tips: Use a wide-angle lens to get photos of the ground activity. Use a telephoto-zoom lens to get detail shots or portraits of reactions in the crowd. Shooting with the sun rising behind the balloons will provide some beautiful silhouettes and add ambiance to the scene.
Special Shape Balloons
The Special Shape Rodeo™ and Special Shape Glowdeo™ are big hits with kids of all ages!
Pro Tips: Frame other balloons with the ones in the foreground. Use special shape balloons as fun backdrops for family photos and selfies.
Balloons In Flight
By this point in the morning, the horizon will be awash with vibrant colors as balloons inflate and take to the skies to fly across the valley.
Pro Tips: Once the sun is on the rise, try to shoot with the sun to your side or back. At this position you can use it to better show the curve of the balloons and illuminate their colors.
Now That You See What A Pilot Sees
Going on a balloon ride? Get your camera in either Auto or P (Program) Mode so you can focus on your aerial experience instead of the camera settings.
Pro Tips: Now would be a great time to bring a point-and-shoot. Neck straps and wrist straps are your best friend. With your camera properly secured to your person, you can feel more confident shooting extreme angles.
Balloon Glow
This sets the mood for a magical evening. Don’t miss the random twinkling lights of balloons just before the order for an ”All Glow”, when a warm light illuminates the entire field.
Pro Tips: Adjust your angle. Set-up your gear with the main field in front of you and the mountainside behind you, for the best shots. Use a tripod and a wireless remote or cable release to reduce motion blur.
Fireworks
Getting your camera dialed-in to the correct settings can make or break a fantastic light display.
Pro Tips: Fireworks need long exposure times, so use a tripod for this event. A remote or cable release prevents accidental camera shake to you get clear, sharp images. Use a longer shutter speed to increase the trails of the fireworks.
Be Creative: Whether you’re going for a day or the entire Balloon Fiesta, there are plenty of chances to grab amazing shots. While we’ve suggested some camera settings here, the ultimate goal is for you to have fun! Find your own style and see what you like best.
Spectator Safety Tips
Limit alcohol consumption. Remember, you’re at a mile-high altitude, which could increase alcohol’s impact.
Dress in layers. It’s sometimes very cool in the morning, but after sunrise it will warm up noticeably.
Bring water. Stay hydrated throughout the day.
Bring sunscreen. At a higher altitude you’re at an increased risk for sunburn.
Bring appropriate eye protection. Sun and wind could be your enemies on a sunny or windy day.
Don’t smoke anywhere near the balloons. A lit cigarette could possibly ignite a balloon’s propane fuel tank.
Choose a place to meet in case someone gets separated or lost. Make sure young children have some form of identification on them.
Don’t “drive and watch” at the same time. The balloons are a magnificent but distracting sight. Move completely off to the side of the road to watch.
Watch where you’re going. Beware of vehicles moving around the field, especially emergency vehicles trying to get through the crowd.
Bring a flashlight for evening events. Also, take note of where you parked your car—it’s more difficult to find in the dark.
Clean your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.
Lovelace Health System’s emergency medical professionals provide on-site emergency medical care for problems ranging from minor scrapes to heart attacks. Lovelace’s medical volunteers will be located at the Lovelace First Aid Center.
Lovelace Health System is proud to be the official health care provider for the 2023 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Below is a list of helpful safety tips to help you enjoy your visit in good health:
Bound to Read
The Balloon Fiesta in Words and Pictures
By Tom McConnell MD for the AIBF Heritage Committee
Since its beginnings, the color, beauty, and sheer excitement of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® have inspired writers, artists, and photographers to set down their impressions in print.
The Balloon Fiesta appears as a setting in novels, as line drawings in children’s coloring books, and in countless magazine articles.
Trying to compile a list of everything written about Balloon Fiesta would be a Herculean task well beyond the scope of this article. But for those who want to broaden their knowledge about the event, revel in incredible pictures, or give their children a Balloon Fiesta book of their very own, this article describes how the Balloon Fiesta’s official publications and other notable histories were created, and how (or if) you can get your very own copies.
There have been official copyrighted writings about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) since the first event in 1972, including the 51 official programs. (The programs, which contain hundreds of articles and thousands of pages of other information, can be viewed on the Balloon Fiesta website, balloonfiesta.com.) These official books were and are intended to explain, educate, inform and bring back fond memories of Balloon Fiesta.
There have been twelve bound books, produced by volunteers and staff under the auspices and/or copyright of AIBF. Six other books worth mentioning are also detailed in the following pages. These latter six were not published or copyrighted by AIBF or its close collaborators, but have everything to do with Balloon Fiesta in one way or another.
In chronological order, these first 12 books are:
1Fiesta Memories (or Fiesta Memories 93) was written by Patrick Lee, with Peter Richardson as principal photographer, and was copyrighted and published by Balloon Passion Communication in 1993-94. It was printed by Guynes in Albuquerque, NM. It is 60 pages of Balloon Fiesta photos with captions related to mass ascensions, night glow, the Coupe Gordon Bennet (this was the first time this famous gas race was held in the U.S.A. since 1933!), special shaped balloons, awards and more. In 1993, our event was called the Kodak Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Kodak being a major sponsor.
In 1996, Kim Vesely, Steve Young, Marjorie Shapiro Stein, Sid Cutter and several others including staff and volunteers from KRQE-TV and the Balloon Fiesta collaborated on the second official book about the Balloon Fiesta. This “official commemorative edition” was produced on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the April 1972 balloon event organized by Sid Cutter and KOB Radio. It was called Albuquerque, Where the World Celebrates Ballooning This 120-page book was published by American & World Geographic Publishing Company in both softbound and hardbound versions. The softbound version sold for $15.95, while the hardbound book sold for $29.95. Sid Cutter wrote the introduction, while Kim Vesely and Marjorie Stein wrote all of the rest of the text. Steve Young and Fern Saltzman and many others contributed the outstanding color photographs. Jim Thompson, VP and General Manager for New Mexico Broadcasting Co., Inc. (KRQE-TV) wrote the end-piece for this book. The book is now out of print.
Marjorie rest Young the
the
3
In 2003, another book entitled Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, written by Tom Garrity and his P.R. staff, and celebrating the 32nd Balloon Fiesta, was published and copyrighted by The Creative Company of Lawrenceburg, IN, R. L. Ruehrwein, Publisher. This book is believed to be out of print, and its price is unknown.
4
A confidential and proprietary book was produced in 2007 for the Board of Directors of AIBF by Marshall Monroe Magic entitled Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Futures Initiative This book was a compendium of creative ideas and strategy for planning purposes, requested by the 2006 AIBF Board of Directors. Subjects discussed include branding, logos, key statistics, sponsorships, vending, visual and color language, promotion and marketing, external contexts, sport development, live entertainment, educational activities, physical attractions and more. This book is not available, but has served - and is serving - as a guide to future possibilities for AIBF. Its 108 pages are filled with drawings, photos, ideology, history and possibilities. Produced and published by Marshall Monroe Magic. This book is out of print and was not available to the public.
5
In 2007, another official softcover book was produced by AIBF for the 36th Balloon Fiesta, this one with photographs by Raymond Watt, Cindy Petrehn and others from stock AIBF photos. This book, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, has both excellent photos and explanatory text about all the various aspects of Balloon Fiesta, including how balloons fly (both gas and hot-air), events within the greater event, competition, behind-the-scenes information, weather and memorabilia. The book was written by Nathan James from Synch, Inc. and contains 52 pages, counting front and back covers. It was designed by Debi Kline of Synch, Albuquerque, and printed by Albuquerque Printing Co. There are nine chapters, including How Balloons Fly, Events, Competitions, Gondola Club and more. This book was priced at $20.00, and is no longer in print.
6To commemorate the 40th Balloon Fiesta (2011), four writers/editors from the AIBF Heritage Committee (Dick Brown, Tom McConnell, Paul Rhetts and Kim Vesely) agreed to produce a book which would be part historical, part promotion and part excellent color photos. Three of these editors are long-time balloon pilots who also have long writing careers in various fields. The fourth person, a long-time and savvy crew person for a famous Albuquerque balloon, was coincidentally a graphics designer, an author, and a publisher of many kinds of books.
author,
This two and one-half-year collaboration resulted in The World Comes to Albuquerque, The Dream Takes Flight, a 190-page compilation of previously published stories mostly taken from previous Balloon Fiesta programs, beautiful color photos, a foreword by the editors, an introduction by our founder Sid Cutter (his last words on the subject, since he died shortly before the book’s release), and historical text. This book won Best of Show at the 2011 New Mexico Book Awards. The price of the softback version was $19.95 and for the hard-back version, $39.95.
Published by Rio Grande Books in collaboration with AIBF, both versions of this book sold out midway during the 40th Balloon Fiesta and are no longer in print.
7Beginning in 2012 and over the next five years, executives from Arcadia Publishing Company approached the Balloon Fiesta’s Executive Director expressing their interest in producing a book about the Balloon Fiesta. At that time, Arcadia was a large-scale publisher of 6 by 9-inch black & white soft-cover books about many different subjects, often historical, geographical, famous construction projects and the like. This request was always delegated to the AIBF Heritage Committee, and the committee, on at least three occasions, turned them down. The concern was that, since Arcadia published only in black and white and balloons are all about color, a black-and-white book would not do justice to the Balloon Fiesta
Arcadia persisted, finally coming up with a color option for their publishing concept. They approached AIBF again, and this time the committee said OK. So, for the 45th celebration of Balloon Fiesta, seven balloonists from the Heritage Committee (Dick Brown, John Davis, Charlotte Kinney, Tom McConnell, Dick Rice, John Sena, and Kim Vesely) wrote and edited a 95-page book called Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. In keeping with Arcadia’s format, it takes a historical approach and primarily consists of photographs, along with some text and a caption for each photo. Published by Arcadia in 2017, there is an introduction and six chapters focusing on an overview, special events, mass ascensions, competition, behind the scenes and faces of Balloon Fiesta. The color photos are spectacular, and the captions carefully explain what is happening in the photo. The price of this soft-cover book is $22.99 and it is still in print.
Molly Covington wrote, and Annette Puccini illustrated, two children’s books, The Southwest Sunrise Surprise (2014) and The Southwest Sunset Surprise (2016). These books were copyrighted and published by the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and printed in the USA. In the story, three kids are awakened at 4:30 a.m. by their mom to go on a surprise adventure. Turns out, they’re going to Balloon Fiesta, and see many magnificent sights of colorful balloons everywhere. They want to know if they can come back tomorrow.
9
The second book relates the story of an evening filled with non-flying balloons at Balloon Glow, where hundreds of balloons fire up their burners after dark to fill the launch site with more magic all-burns, “count-down burns”, “flicker-burns,” and at the end, a spectacular fireworks display. The prose in both books more or less rhymes, so we might call these poetry books. The price for each book is $15.99, and they are still in print.
10
For the 50th anniversary of Balloon Fiesta, another children’s book was produced, this by award-winning author Ross Van Dusen, who wrote and illustrated Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: The Best Day Ever! This book was copyrighted in 2021 by AIBF, published by Rio Grande Books (LPD Press), Los Ranchos, NM, and printed in Canada. It tells the story of five kids, all siblings or close friends, written in rhyming style, who not only go to the AIBF launch site early one morning, but get to fly in a hot-air balloon! One unique feature of this book is four pages of black-and-white balloons where kids are encouraged to color their own balloons. This book won Best Children’s Book at the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards. The price of this book is $19.95 and it is still in print.
11In 2017, planning for the 50th Balloon Fiesta was underway, and the four people who edited the 40th book and were among the authors of the 45th book were asked if they would consider working on a 50th book. With some reluctance, knowing how much time and effort would be required to do a first-rate job, Dick Brown, Tom McConnell, Paul Rhetts and Kim Vesely agreed. This group, affectionately known as the Gang of Four, first met on May 12, 2017, and agreed that at least two books would be suggested to the AIBF Heritage Committee and Board of Directors, one a large coffee-table-type book and the other a children’s book (see 10 above). These two books were to be completed to commemorate the 50th Balloon Fiesta, scheduled to occur in October, 2021. This would be the 50th event and the 49th anniversary of the 1972 balloon race. Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic interrupted the Balloon Fiesta schedule, and the 49th Balloon Fiesta scheduled for 2020 was postponed to 2021. This meant the event in 2022 would now be both the 50th event and the 50th anniversary! The group also agreed to build a budget that ensured that AIBF would not lose money on the 50th books, and that all four authors would agree on every photo and every piece of text. To add a degree of difficulty to the process, with the onset of the pandemic the group worked almost entirely through email and virtual conferences. Herding spiders would have been easier!
To produce 50 Years of Balloon Magic: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the editors/authors perused approximately 125,000 official AIBF photographs to find the most extraordinary images possible. The minimal text and captions are there to introduce each chapter, and to make some interesting comments about the photos with which they are paired. The flow of the book takes the reader through an example day, from early morning through the evening events, with photographic detours to show gas ballooning, behind-the-scenes activities, and many other allied experiences.
times style, as of
The Gang of Four met 30 times between May 2017 and January 2021. Several times the style, themes, thrust and even the name of the coffee-table book changed, but it ended up as an 11x 13-inch landscape-style hard-cover book of 220 pages, 312 photographs, with 21 pages of text and 30 pages of captions with accompanying photos. At the New Mexico-Arizona book Awards, 50 Years of Balloon Magic won Best Coffee Table Book, Best Cover Design, and Best of Show. It was published by Rio Grande Books (LPD Press) in collaboration with AIBF, and printed in North America. The price is $49.95 and it is still in print.
Also for the 50th anniversary of AIBF, a black-and-white coloring book (called Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Coloring Book), consisting of 24 pages of line drawings, was copyrighted, authorized and published by the AIBF merchandising group, edited and designed by Lisa Mulder and Lynda Crispino, and printed by Printers Press Inc. In Albuquerque. The price is $6.00, and it is still in print.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®
Book in progress: Dick Brown, Tom McConnell, and Paul Rhetts in a 2018 work session. (The fourth author, Kim Vesely, took the picture)
Six more books about Balloon Fiesta are noted here. Although not copyrighted by AIBF or its authorized collaborators, according to the AIBF Heritage Committee, these books are worth mentioning.
13
The Grand Challenge was published by the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, City of Albuquerque Office of Cultural Services in 2004 as Volume 1. It provides 80 pages of background information about Albuquerque’s famous balloon museum, written in part by Susan M. Brown, and features stories and data about hot-air and gas balloons, Maxie Anderson and Ben Abruzzo, John Stapp, Joe Kittinger, early gas balloon flights by Park Van Tassel, Roy Stamm and Joseph Blondin, the beginnings of the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, both founded by Sid Cutter, and timelines of extraordinary ballooning events. The price of this book is unknown.
14
In 2011, a small photo and text booklet was written and copyrighted by Albuquerque writer and gerontologist Carol Shelton March called Ceremony at Dawn. This 25-page soft-cover book was published and printed by Mercury Heartlink, and featured photos by Bill Pearson. This is the story of a first-timer going on an unexpected adventure during Balloon Fiesta. This book is still in print. The price is $15.00.
15
Aloft! At the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, written by Douglas M. Heller and edited by Bobbi Valentine, has excellent photos and explanatory text This softcover book is priced at $18.55, was published by Aloft Publishing LLC in 2011, and consists of 120 pages. Chapters include Balloon Fiesta Overview, Mass Ascension, Special Shape Balloons, Ballooning Fundamentals and The Champagne Toast & Balloonist’s Prayer. The introduction explains how the Montgolfier brothers invented hot-air ballooning in France more than 240 years ago, the humble beginnings of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Sid Cutter, AIBF volunteers, our launch sites, AIBF milestones and more. This book is still in print.
16
Steve Larese is an Albuquerque-based travel journalist who has written extensively about Balloon Fiesta for various magazines, as well as stories about his domestic and world travels and his American Southwest interests. He wrote and edited a non-official book about Balloon Fiesta in 2014 (the 43rd Balloon Fiesta) entitled Balloons Over Albuquerque. This is a hardbound book of 128 pages (not including front and back covers and front- and end-pieces) with vibrant, excellent color balloon photos (a mix of film and digital images) taken by the author, most of which have short accompanying captions, also written by the author. Steve interviewed Sid Cutter in 1995 for a story he wrote for Crosswinds magazine, and used that encounter for this book. The book is published by Schiffer Publishing & Design, Ltd., Atglen, PA, and printed in China. Design and text and photos coalesce to form a cohesive story of Balloon Fiesta, including some quotes and story-telling from Sid Cutter, the founder of AIBF. The price of this book is $19.99 and it is still in print.
17
In 2005, Nancy Abruzzo (widow of world-renowned balloonist Richard Abruzzo, who was also a past member of the AIBF Board of Directors), wrote and published a children’s book entitled Pop Flop’s Great Balloon Ride, wherein a girl begs her dad for a balloon ride, but somehow it is her pet rabbit, Pop Flop, who gets the ride during the annual Balloon Fiesta. Illustrated by Noel Chilton, it is published by Museum of New Mexico Press and is still in print. The price is $17.98 at some bookstores.
18
In 2022 Nancy Abruzzo wrote another children’s book called Soft Bright Fluffy, a Fiesta of Special Shape Balloons, published also by the Museum of New Mexico Press, and again illustrated by Noel Chilton. The price is $19.95.
Rare “Ring of Fire” Annular Eclipse
On the last Saturday of Balloon Fiesta, October 14, a special celestial treat awaits Balloon Fiesta participants and guests. As the day’s ballooning activities wind down, the sun and moon will treat Albuquerque to an unusual and spectacular annular eclipse. The moon will start to cross the sun’s path at 9:13 AM, and during totality, beginning at 10:34 AM, will obscure 90% of the sun. Balloon Fiesta Park lies almost directly on the center line of the eclipse’s path, so totality will last nearly five minutes.
To view the eclipse safely, you’ll want to bring along specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing, or use an indirect viewing method such as a pinhole projector. The Sun is never completely blocked by the Moon during an annular solar eclipse. Therefore, during an annular eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the sun: you’ll need special safe solar viewing glasses (eclipse glasses), or a safe handheld solar viewer. These are readily available at retail outlets or can be purchased online.
Also, never look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or other
optical device – even with eclipse glasses – unless they are fitted with a special purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics. Doing so will instantly cause severe eye injury.
TOP: Annular eclipse photographed on December 26, 2019 in Jaffna (Courtesy Rehman Abubakr, Wickmedia Commons)
LEFT: Viewing an eclipse through solar viewing glasses (Courtesy KateRussoShades, Mark Margolis)
ABOVE: The annular eclipse’s path across the United States on October 14, 2023. The area between the red and blue lines will experience 90% totality; note that the center line runs right through Albuquerque. (Map courtesy National Solar Observatory
Balloon Fiesta®
& the Land of International Enchantment
50 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® 2023 Official Program
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First World Hot Air Balloon Championship
By Rebecca Prinster, Assistant Curator at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2022, and this year, the World Hot Air Balloon Championship marks its own fiftieth birthday. This prestigious event debuted in Albuquerque in 1973, concurrent with the second Balloon Fiesta.
A national hot air balloon championship had been held in the U.S. since 1963, but in 1972 the Balloon Federation of America (BFA) was looking to start an international competition officially sanctioned by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world air sports federation. One of the original Balloon Fiesta pilots -- Don Kersten, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, immediate past president of the BFA -- had been tasked with finding a host city for the first world event.
Kersten didn’t place in the “RoadrunnerCoyote” (also known as a “hare and hound”) competition at the 1972 Balloon Fiesta. But he was favorably impressed with the crowds and event organizers and thought Albuquerque’s enthusiasm, coupled with the local area geography, could be a winning combination in a host city for the first-ever World Hot Air Balloon Championship. He encouraged Balloon Fiesta organizers to put in a bid to host the 1973 event, which they did -ten days after the first Balloon Fiesta.
With the promise of financial backing from KOB Radio, a delegation from Albuquerque flew to Chicago to meet with BFA officials and give a formal presentation. Its members included Balloon Fiesta founder Sid Cutter, KOB announcer Tom Rutherford -- who had been a part of organizing the first Balloon Fiesta -- station manager (years later Albuquerque mayor) Dick McKee, and Don Draper and Al Ratchner from the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association (the local balloon club, also known as the AAAA or Quad-A). The group from Albuquerque won the bid, not knowing that they were the only ones to even throw their hat in the ring. Organizers scheduled the event for February 10 – 17, 1973, after consulting weather charts and deciding that February looked like a good month for ballooning. Only later did they realize that they’d read the charts wrong.
Cutter, Rutherford, and Draper formed World Balloon Championships, Inc. to handle the business of Balloon Fiesta, and they quickly realized that they would need a bigger venue than Coronado Center for a joint Balloon Fiesta-World Championship. To
Balloons poised for launch in 1973 at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Photo at left courtesy Dick Brown, inset photo courtesy Tom McConnell.
accommodate the large field of competitors and fun flyers, they booked the New Mexico State Fairgrounds. They sent invitations to fifty-four FAI member nations, and fourteen responded. Participating countries were allowed to send up to four pilots who were chosen by their respective country’s national aero club.
The conditions for participation for the U.S. delegation were somewhat different. One spot was guaranteed to the most recent U.S. national champion, who in 1972 was Bruce Comstock. The other three U.S. competitors flew in qualifying events the week before the world championship commenced. From a field of fortynine pilots, Bill Cutter, Dennis “Denny” Floden (also known as Captain Phogg), and Tom Oerman emerged victorious, rounding out the American team.
In addition to the U.S. contingent, pilots represented Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Norway, and Italy. The pilots included some of the great names in the early history of international hot-air ballooning, among them Hans Åkerstedt, Per-Olow Anderson and Jan Balkedal (Sweden), Don Cameron (Great Britain), Peter Vizzard (Australia), Franco Segre (Italy), and that year’s only female competitor Anneke Sandel (Netherlands). There were 33 competing pilots in all.
But even as plans for international competition were being made, organizers were hard at work planning the second Balloon Fiesta. They envisioned a weeklong event with a parade, a ball, and a queen contest. Fun flying events were scheduled to take place after each morning’s competitive task, starting at around 11 a.m. – in these early days of hot-air ballooning, pilots hadn’t figured out yet that flying in the middle of the day was a bad idea due to heat-generated turbulence. The organizers had set a budget of $100,000, which Rutherford later admitted was probably a little low.
World Balloon Championships, Inc. pulled out all the stops for their international guests. A local jeweler was commissioned to design a money clip with a Montgolfier balloon on it, and this was given to international pilots with a one hundred dollar bill folded inside. They also had the U.S. Postal Service issue a commemorative 15-cent airmail envelope on the first day of the event, February 10, 1973. Because the FAI was sanctioning the world championship event, competition tasks had to first be approved by this
governing body. Sid Cutter invited Ed Yost—sometimes nicknamed “Sir Launch-a-Lot”—to be Clerk of the Course (Balloonmeister), and the two brainstormed ideas for competitive tasks the pilots would be required to complete. There was some back and forth with the FAI initially, as the FAI deemed some of Cutter and Yost’s ideas too dangerous. (“And they were,” Sid later admitted.)
Finally, the FAI approved four different tasks: a hare and hound race and three barograph flights (a flight profile test, a rapid climb and leveled-off flight, and a climb-and-descent flight). For these three tasks, pilots would have to fly a determined flight pattern inscribed on a smoked drum inside the barograph, an analog instrument that traced a pilot’s altitude and time spent within the calibrated flight pattern.
The barograph component caused some controversy among the pilots, and there were protests against including these scores in the final tally. Yost and Rutherford diplomatically settled the
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®
TOP RIGHT AND BOTTOM LEFT: International competitors prepare to launch in the 1973 World Championships. (Photos courtesy Dick Brown); CENTER RIGHT: The controversial barograph, which records a balloon’s altitude over time. Looks like ancient technology now, huh? (Photo courtesy Science Museum).
disputes, though, and the scores were included in the overall point counts. Interestingly, today’s national and international competitions include tasks where pilots fly to a fixed point or points in the sky defined by GPS coordinates, a modern-day version of the barograph-based tasks. The First World Championship officials were way ahead of the times.
In addition to the protests, there were other memorable learning experiences at the first World Hot Air Balloon Championships. Even in New Mexico, February can be a wintery month, and on the last day of competition, pilots found themselves flying in snow. Visibility was low as they flew a yo-yo pattern in the climb-and-descent flight. Another day, some pilots – including some whose English language skills were rather limited -- flew into high-security areas on Manzano Base (now part of Kirtland Air Force Base), had their cameras confiscated, and likely faced interrogation.
But that first world championship is ultimately remembered as a success.
Denny Floden of the U.S. finished first, having mastered barograph flying before coming to Albuquerque. Bill Cutter of the U.S. took second, and Jan Balkedal of Sweden was third. The extensive national and international media coverage helped spur on the growth of hot air ballooning worldwide. Enthusiastic Albuquerque volunteers who worked the event were inspired to become balloonists themselves, growing the sport and providing the expertise to run future Balloon Fiestas.
Some of the souvenirs, promotional materials and even one of the controversial barographs have made their way into the collection of the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. Stop by the Museum during Balloon Fiesta to see some of these objects on display.
First World Hot Air Balloon Championships
February 10-17, 1973 | Albuquerque, NM
COMPETITORS
Australia
Peter Vizzard
Belgium
Gerald Arthur DelForge
Willy François Schaut
Henry E. Vanderlinden
Canada
Stanley Peter Owens
Stanley John Sheldrake
Denmark
Kai Paamand
France
Clotaire Castanier
William E Malpas
Robert Noirclerc
Bertrand Vicaire
Germany
Horst Kallenbach
E. Arno Sieger
Eugen Wothe
Great Britain
Terence Adams
Roger Barrett
Donald Cameron
Peter Langford
Ireland
Charles Michael Alexander
David Hooper
Italy
Franco Segre
Netherlands
Anneke Sandel
Norway
Ola Ivar Kalvatn
Sweden
Hans Åkerstedt
Per-Olow Anderson
Jan Balkedal
Seve Ungermark
Switzerland
Kurt Runzi
Werner Schweizer
USA
Bruce Comstock
Bill Cutter
Dennis Floden
Tom Oerman
Tom Rutherford and Sid Cutter at the Fairgrounds, post-flight brewskis in hand. Photo by Bill Walton Flynt
Schwemmer, Kasey ZENITH Wichita, KS United States Scott, Michael SPIRIT’S RAINBOW Oklahoma City, OK
Seay, Sam DIVINE APPOINTMENT
See, Glenn ITSZEE Cortez, CO
Seeger, Anthony CAROLINA TWIST Travelers Rest, SC United States
Seghers, Jos SKY STAR Breendonk Belgium
Seghers, Stijn AIRE MARC TOO Lippelo, Antwerp Belgium
Shipman, Shane MAE’S MAGIC Rio Rancho, NM United States
Short, Dennis CHAMPAGNE COWBOY Broken Arrow, OK United States
Sklute, Ken FRACTALS Florence, AZ
Slattery, Tim TREETOP FLYER Madison, MS
States
Smart, Rex AIRPLAY Albuquerque, NM
Smart, Chris RAINBOW RYDERS Roanoke, IN United States
Soffera, Janet DESERT HUMMINGBIRD Rio Rancho, NM United States
Steinbock, Tom SUNSET GLOW Crestwood, KY United States
Dave AIMLESS DRIFTER Rio Communities, NM United States
Smatana, Bernard EMINENCE El Paso, TX United States
Spanier, Mark OHZONE Peachtree City, GA United States
Stevens, Patrick RAINBOW RYDERS Phoenix, AZ United States
Sullivan, Dave CHECKRIDE Fayetteville, GA United States
Smith, Al NORTHERN LIGHTS Grass Lake, MI United States
Speicher, Shawn GUT-WRENCHING Albuquerque, NM United States
Stokoe, Steven KNIGHT RIDER Lutz, FL United States
Mark CODE RED Albuquerque, NM United States
Smith, Neal INDECISIVE Albuquerque, NM United States
Squires, Rick HIGHER DESIRE Albuquerque, NM United States
Strang, Andy RAGTIME Clinton Township, MI United States
United States
Smith, Paul SINCERELY Albuquerque, NM United States
Stanke, Natasha BANK BOBBER Albuquerque, NM United States
Strang, Richard LIGHTNING Oxford, MI United States
United States
Morgan VISIONARY Edmond, OK United States
David IT’S ABOUT TIME! Albuquerque, NM United States
Dave SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE Columbus, OH United States
United States
Snipes,
Steidley,
Strickland,
Suckow,
Sullivan,
Sullivan, Patrick BLACK MAGIC Spencer, MA
Sutter, Denis DREAM PIE Hallsville, MO
Tadolini, Ken OUTLAW Denver, CO
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Balloon Directory
United States
United States
United States
St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Québec Canada
St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Québec Canada
United States
United States
Takach, Keith TAKACH ANOTHER BREEZE Albuquerque, NM
Talbert, Elisa S.O. Albuquerque, NM
Tatum, Daryl YELLOW BRICK ROAD Canton, GA
Taylor, Brian BLUE RIBBON Columbia, MO United States
Taylor, Tim DEE III BALLOON TEAM Salt Lake City, UT United States
Thomas, George TIGER PAW EXPRESS Hallsville, MO United States
Thompson, Jon RAINBOW RYDERS Phoenix, AZ United States
Thompson, Phil BUZZ Galena, IL United States
Thornton, Floyd THUNDERCLOUD St. Louis, MO United States
Tobin, Josh GHOST RIDER Belen, NM United States
Torres, Santi LOVE Mexico City Mexico
Trillanes, Mark PHAT STUFF Albuquerque, NM United States
Turner, Geoff RISEN Ashville, NY United States
Unsworth, Martin FLEURS DE LYSEE
Vaillancourt, Richard DOCO
Van Dyck, Chris ZEPHYR Albuquerque, NM United States
Van Sant, Lori BLACK MAGIC WOMAN Albuquerque, NM United States
VandeHoef, Ed COLORADO 2 Broomfield, CO United States
VanWye, Sandra VOLCANIC MOTION Albuquerque, NM United States
Vavra, William GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE Reno, NV United States
Vencel, Travis UNM Bloomington, IN United States
Vesely, Scott LIGHTHOUSE BUSINESS INFORMATION SOLUTIONS, LLC Frisco, TX
Voorhees, Mike CRYPTONAUT Albuquerque, NM
Wade-Callihan, Clare COLOR ME HIGH Houston, TX United States
Wadley, Mike TEXAS SUN Weldon Spring, MO United States
Walsh, Dan LAST CHANCE Redlands, CA United States
Watters, Philippe SUNDANCE BALLOONS Belmont, Ontario Canada
United States
Wadsworth, Will RICKY BOBBY Albuquerque, NM United States
Walter, Ken KAY’S WINDDANCER II Waukesha, WI United States
Watts, Rodney ONENINER NORTHSTAR Hot Springs, SD United States
TX United States
Wahl, John KOLIBRI Edgewood, NM United States
Debbi SANS SOUCI Windsor, CO United States
Wehner, Chuck BOTTOM’S UP Rio Rancho, NM United States
Albuquerque, NM United States
Walker, Elizabeth LOOKING GLASS Addison, TX United States
United States
Wells, Russ CHECKEREDPAST Seville, OH United States
TX United States
United States
United States
United States
United States
United States
United States
United States
Wall, Cam GRANDMA’S LEGACY Enumclaw, WA
Wallace, Marilyn RAINBOW THRU HEAVEN Santa Monica, CA
Waltman,
Warren, Suzanne AIRLOOM Rio Rancho, NM
Watson, Barney COOL BEANS!! Placitas, NM
Watson-Meinke, Peggy STARLITE Santa Paula, CA
Welz, Zerek GUILTY Albuquerque, NM
Whisenhunt, Jake DUB-L UP Rio Rancho, NM United States
Whitby, Gary DEJA BLU Columbia, MO
White, Cheri TOUCHSTONE ENERGY RACER Austin,
Whitling, Ian ROY-G-BIV
Wiggins, Eric CALYPSO Longview,
Wiley, Sam WILEY COYOTE San Marcos, TX
Williams, Jim PIX Katy, TX
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Balloon Directory
United States
United States
United States
United States
United States
United States
Williams, Steve MISCHIEF Albuquerque, NM
Williams Sr., Lewin SPLIT-TAIL Reno, NV
Wilson, Johnny JAW’S Rio Rancho, NM United States
Wismer, Jack CHEZ FM Belmont, Ontario Canada
Woehlke, Dave ART DECO Oxford, MI United States
Wolfe, Jonathan INFINITUDE Albuquerque, NM United States
Wong, Dale URSA MINOR Rancho Cucamonga, CA United States
Wood, Bruce OTTR Carbondale, CO United States
Woodard, Mark CARPE DIEM! Hookstown, PA United States
Wooge, Scott PNC BANK St. Louis, MO United States
Word, Glen TOUCH OF MAGIC Anthony, NM United States
Wright, Thom CHAIN GANG Albuquerque, NM United States
Wright, Thomee UNCHAINED Albuquerque, NM
Yocom, Mark AIR ROCKY TOP Albuquerque, NM United States
Young, Debby ROADTRIP Albuquerque, NM
Zamora, Loretta SAKI BOMBER Albuquerque, NM
Zielinski, Alan FEATHERLIGHT II Niles, IL United States
Zimmer, Jesse HUCKLEBERRY Rio Rancho, NM United States
Zimmer, Rachel KANDY LAND Rio Rancho, NM United States
Zvada, Joe BLACK HOLE SUN McAllen, TX United States
FIESTA GOLD Albuquerque, NM United States
SPIRIT OF FIESTA Albuquerque, NM
THE LAND OF ACHIEVEMENT
THE LANDSCAPES. THE CULTURES. THE PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT—THIS PLACE INSPIRES THINKERS AND DOERS TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPEN EVERY DAY. THAT’S WHAT LOBOS DO. BREAK RECORDS AND BEAT PERSONAL BESTS. EVERY TRIUMPH, BIG AND SMALL—FROM EACH DEGREE COMPLETED TO EVERY PATENT GRANTED TO EVERY COMMUNITY CARED FOR—PROPELS US FORWARD, TOGETHER. THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO REACH HIGHER. BECAUSE HERE, WE ACHIEVE THE EXTRAORDINARY.
achieve.unm.edu
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Additional Pilots
Adams, Scott Hudson, WI United States
Amlong, Christopher Placitas, NM United States
Andre, Marc Spiegel, Bern Switzerland
Ashida-Schwisow, Jamie Los Ranchos, NM United States
Bair, Erin Pittsburgh, PA United States
Banks, Marie Bristol United Kingdom
Bauwens, Betty Brown Park City, UT United States
Belgarde, Sonja Sun Prairie, WI United States
Blackwell, Neal Pennington, NJ United States
Bolton, Kenneth Carlisle, IA United States
Dezurik, Joselle High Rolls, NM United States
Dickey, Carol Corrales, NM United States
Donner, Chase Powell, OH United States
Eimers, Benjamin Moers Germany
Favicchio, Valerie Fort Collins, CO United States
Flatt, Herby Henryetta, OK United States
Book, Charles Albuquerque, NM United States
Boyer, Donald Belen, NM United States
Breffeilh, Margaret Victor, ID United States
Byrd-Dickey, Niki Albuquerque, NM United States
Karlovec, Frank Scottsdale, AZ United States
Ford, Donnette Albuquerque, NM United States
Fox, Richard Boynton Beach, FL United States
Fricke, Barbara Albuquerque, NM United States
Gallegos, Frank Los Lunas, NM United States
Caton, Roy Cedar Hill, MO United States
Clay, Brian Albuquerque, NM United States
Conant, John Albuquerque, NM United States
Deeney, Marian Monticello, FL United States
Devore, James Covington, IN United States
Kassam, Munir Narok Kenya
Kiehle, Erik Meridian, MS United States
Kominiak, Scott Corrales, NM United States
Langdon, Philip Thatcham, Berkshire United Kingdom
Lawler, Thomas Albuquerque, NM United States
Levesque, Philippe Longueuil, Québec Canada
Linek, David Náchod, Královéhradecký Italy
Loeffler, Steven Albuquerque, NM United States
Maes, Theodore Gibsonia, PA United States
Midura, Timothy Marshallville, OH United States
Miller, Mark Washington, DC United States
Miller, Howard Atmore, AL United States
Mouser, Emily Canton, OH United States
Msuya, Seb Belmont, Ontario Canada
Gebhart, Miranda Indianola, IA United States
Heinrich, Philip Phoenix, AZ United States
Hernandez, Duncan Las Cruces, NM United States
Hiben, Eric Lagrange, GA United States
Hurdt, Joseph Shelby, NC United States
Sabia, Amanda Overland Park, KS United States
Samuelson, Andrew Riverton, WY United States
Myers, Kenneth Cuyahoga Falls, OH United States
Myers, Jason McKinney, TX United States
Nels, Al Beavercreek, OH United States
Ouvrard, Remi Bonneuil Matours, Vienne France
Pascoal, Maxime St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec Canada
Martin, Karen Tucson, AZ United States
May, Rodney Albuquerque, NM United States
McAllaster, Phred Albuquerque, NM United States
McCollum, Anthony Hurst, TX United States
Hyde, Daniel Albuquerque, NM United States
James, Russell Orland, CA United States
Johnson, Victor Prosser, WA United States
Jones, Eileen Pacific Grove, CA United States
McDaniel, Jett Canby, OR United States
McEvoy, Andrea Mcminnville, OR United States
McGrew, Scott Colorado Springs, CO United States
Metzler, Alisa Newmanstown, PA United States
Michels, Andreas Meerbusch, Deutschland
Sandlin, Anthony Fishers, IN United States
Sasser, Daniel Charlotte, NC United States
Scheve, Eric Spirit Lake, IA United States
Schneider, Scott Goddard, KS United States
Schroeder, Tom Albuquerque, NM United States
Seyfert-Joiner, Nicholas Breitscheid, Rheinland-Pfalz Germany
Shamo, Shelena Orem, UT United States
Shane, Michael North Ogden, UT United States
Tollefson, Thomas Detroit Lakes, MN United States
Tougas, Eric St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec Canada
Van Sant, Kurt Albuquerque, NM United States
VandeHoef, Cynthia Broomfield, CO United States
Wiederkehr, Donna Minneapolis, MN United States
Wilson, Dale Augusta, MI United States
Word, Truman El Paso, TX United States
Phillips, John Parkland County, Alberta Canada
Price, Jessica Rio Rancho, NM United States
Procopio, Peter Gallup, NM United States
Reeder, Kylee Smartsville, CA United States
Reineke, Kathy Mahomet, IL United States
Speicher, Kerry Longview, TX United States
Speicher, Lillian Longview, TX United States
Stanko, Nicholas Austin, TX United States
Stell, Greg Tulsa, OK United States
Yob, David Colorado Springs, CO United States
Stevenson, Frank Frankfort, KY United States
Richardson, Molly Brandon, SD United States
Rose, Kirke Phoenix, AZ United States
Rosenlof, Dean Tempe, AZ United States
Runge, David Grand Prairie, TX United States
Strasmann, David Affoltern im Emmental, Bern Switzerland
No question about it, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is an event for early risers. The show starts well before the sun appears in the sky, when the Dawn Patrol balloons and drone show head aloft. When you have to get up that early, there is absolutely no better place to be than snuggled warmly in a Recreational Vehicle, also known as an RV, at one of the official RV campgrounds next to Balloon Fiesta Park.
For starters, you can sleep in a little bit longer before the festivities begin. You’re already parked close by and don’t have to navigate the early morning incoming traffic. You simply walk to
Wheel Estate
the field or hop onto one of the convenient shuttles from your RV encampment. As the morning unfolds, you have a place close by to shed your layers, take a quick break, and recharge to move on to the day’s next adventure. In the afternoon, your ‘wheel estate’ is there for a quick power nap before the evenings’ festivities, which include the Special Shape Glowdeo and the AfterGlow Fireworks Show.
There are nearly 2,000 RV spaces in the Balloon Fiesta’s RV campgrounds. These include the President’s Compound overlooking Balloon Fiesta Park, the north, east, and west VIP lots adjacent to the field, and the largest, the South RV lot,
Estate
located a couple of blocks south of the park (with free shuttle service). The RV information website, https://balloonfiesta.com/ RV-Information, includes details about the sites, prices, and more. There are also 30 different places for RV’s to park in and around the Albuquerque area.
The Balloon Fiesta opens RV park reservations for each year’s event in January, and they go fast – really fast. When the 2023 reservation window opened, the website got over 100,000 hits in the first hour. Those not fortunate enough to land a site can get on the waiting list as cancellations will occur.
For the two weeks during and surrounding the event, the
RV campgrounds become their own little communities. Each is managed by a cadre of volunteers – known as Navigators –many of whom come back year after year to take care of the RV park guests. Some of the Navigators come from outside the Albuquerque area just to work in the RV encampments. These Navigators are a great source of tips and information about Balloon Fiesta.
Your fellow campers may be long-time visitors who return year after year, or first-timers just discovering Balloon Fiesta. Some come as part of RV clubs, but most are individual RV’ers who come from all over the country and even from abroad.
LEFT: Dropping into the South RV park. Photo: Kim Vesely ABOVE: A grand view! Photo: Scott Hughes
Martha!
Everywhere there are cookouts, gatherings, and conversations. During the morning events, especially in the South RV lot, sometimes visitors even drop in from above, as balloons land in open areas of the campground. When they can safely do so, pilots and crews visit with RV residents, answering questions and talking about the Balloon Fiesta and their balloons. They might even recruit you to help with packing the balloon or being on a chase crew!
The RV campgrounds can accommodate all kinds of RV’s, including travel trailers of all sizes (which can be detached, freeing up the tow vehicle for sightseeing or running errands) and Class A, B, and C drivable motorhomes. The common denominator with all these types of RV’s is that they tend to be ‘self-contained,’ with permanent sleeping, cooking and toilet and
shower facilities that can be used with or without water, electrical or septic hookups. All offer protection from the elements, and you get to sleep in your own bed and use your own restroom. Most of the RV lots are “dry camping” sites with no hookups, but that’s not a problem in a self-contained trailer or motorhome. For those who really want to rough it, the Balloon Fiesta also offers tent camping in its VIP West lot.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a one-of-akind family affair and is uniquely Albuquerque and New Mexico. Not only is it the world’s largest ballooning event, but it is also the world’s longest continuously running balloon rally. And there is no better way to take in our beautiful city and state than from behind the wheel of your own personal ‘Wheel Estate!’
80 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® 2023
ABOVE:
Guess what just dropped in? Photo: Kim Vesely
Recollections of Harry Kinney and the founding of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®
By Charlotte Kinney, for the AIBF Heritage Committee
The early 1970s, the Balloon Fiesta’s early years, were a time of change in Albuquerque. Young men were being sent to fight in Vietnam and many Americans were protesting the war. Women, gays and lesbians, Native Americans and African Americans were starting the fight for equality. A crusade to protect the environment from air and water pollution began that continues today. Change was everywhere, including Albuquerque city government. From 1971 to 1973 Harry Kinney served as the Chairman of the City Commission. With the city’s change in 1974 to a mayor-council form of government, Kinney then served as a full-time Mayor and Albuquerque’s chief executive from 1974 to 1977 and again from 1981 to 1985.
Meanwhile, hot air ballooning was just starting to take off in the city after Sid Cutter purchased a balloon in 1971. This history has been written about many times, and all agree the April 1972 Balloon Rally at Coronado Center in Albuquerque really lit the flame with the flight of 13 balloons over parts of the city. The next year, 1973, Sid hosted the First World Hot Air Balloon Championships with balloons representing 13 countries flying from the infield at the State Fair racetrack (see the article on page 50). Thirteen proved to be a lucky number -- at this point Albuquerque residents really got involved, with an estimated more than 10,000 spectators attending the event. 1974 brought the “Third Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta” and additional support for the event facilitated by changes in the organizational structure of city government.
But by this time, Sid had learned that while balloon events were beautiful and popular with the public, they weren’t a profitable business model. He simply did not have the resources to sustain an event of this size. Also, the State Fair racetrack, while spacious with good parking, was too close to the airport (balloons interfered with departing and landing planes) and there were few good places to land in the fully developed area. The event needed a support system, and what better than the City of Albuquerque? Beginning in 1974, with active support from Mayor
Kinney, a unique relationship was created between the City and Balloon Fiesta.
A project of this magnitude required a broad range of experience and expertise, so Mayor Kinney began by forming a “Citizens Committee” to help organize the event. Many of the people he appointed were not only community leaders, but became active members of the ballooning community. Several are still currently involved in leadership roles with AIBF, including John Davis IV, Tom McConnell, Dick Rice and Jacqueline Hockey. Sheri-Bachtel-Moore, Tom Rutherford, Charlie Hines, Aubrey Cookman, and Betty Perkins were also among those who were instrumental in those early days. The Citizens Committee, with the help of hired staff (originally Marge Ruppenthal who along with her husband Bob were part of the foundation of AIBF) would take care of the details of the event, track entries, plan pilot briefings, sell “sponsorships,” and take care of the innumerable details required to support this event that continued to grow each year. It has been said that Harry Kinney was “the sparkplug who lit the fire” under this nonprofit Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) Committee.
In addition to organizational structure and “deep pockets,” city resources were critical in the creation of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta that we experience today. Hundreds of volunteers as well as a large contingent of police officers are required daily to handle the traffic from pilots, crew members and spectators. Porta-potties are essential and need draining and cleaning. Huge numbers of spectators result in a huge amount of trash. Dirt roads in the area and the field need to be maintained. One of the most unexpected tasks I had when I served as Balloonmeister in 1982 was to coordinate with the city bus company to provide transportation to the field from various large parking locations. Bus service is still critical today, with several different locations allowing attendees to park off site and reduce the hassle getting to the field.
But back to Harry (I call him dad). In some ways he was the “ultimate politician.” He grew up in the small town of Raton, NM and attended the University of New Mexico where he was
Mayor Kinney officially welcomes participants to the second Hot Air Balloon World Championships and 1975 Balloon Fiesta. From the 1975 official program.
a member of the football team and the band (he played trumpet). Harry was outgoing, extremely social, energetic, and a tireless campaigner – right down to waving at constituents while flying over town with me in my balloon Day Tripper, hollering “I’m Harry Kinney! I sure would appreciate your vote in the Mayor’s race!
It seemed like everyone Harry met became a friend; when eating at a restaurant he shook hands and greeted everyone in the place. Many, if not most, of them he knew by name and would ask about their family. Of course, Albuquerque was a smaller town back then. My mother passed away unexpectedly in 1969 and Harry had the good fortune to meet, fall in love with and soon marry Carol Naus Roberts, a widow who lived in Los Alamos.
As Mayor, Dad gets, and deserves, a lot of credit. But I want everyone to realize the important support and contributions made by his wife Carol. Like Harry, she was a “people” person, and she added a creative spark to dad’s public life, including Balloon Fiesta. As enthusiastic supporters of the event, they were often on the field for morning ascensions or various other Fiesta events and she never failed to wear her “Balloon” jacket, currently in the collection of the Balloon Museum. Carol put a lot of effort into various aspects of Fiesta. My stepbrother tells the story of coming to visit from his home in North Carolina, only to find he had been
“volunteered” to serve as a crew member for all 10 days, report time at the crack of dawn. Dad and Carol loved to entertain in the home they built overlooking the Rio Grande, Sandia Mountains, and the city. Albuquerque “old timers” (including me) remember the great parties they hosted.
At the core, I believe what made Harry stand out was his ability to choose the right people for the job and his gregarious nature. Long after his terms as mayor ended, he would visit the balloon field and make the rounds, talking to everyone from those at the first aid station and the spectators on the field to the pilots at the awards ceremony. He could not have imagined a better legacy than the continued success of Balloon Fiesta and the hours of joy and entertainment it provides to the population of the city and the many thousands of visitors.
Harry Kinney passed away in 2006. Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza is named in his honor, and his statue still stands tall there. A recognition plaque presented in 2006 that hangs in the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta office says it all: Without his commitment and help, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta would not have survived its first four years. The Balloon Fiesta has become a symbol of Albuquerque in large part because of his dedication and foresight.
LEFT: The Albuquerque Fire Department is just one of the City of Albuquerque departments that supports the Balloon Fiesta.
Photo: Kim Vesely
Albuquerque International
Fiesta® Special Shape Directory
Balloon
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Special Shape Directory
Adler, David BUD E. BEAVER Yuma, AZ United States
Alford, Ben ADELAIDE THE KOALA Bristol United Kingdom
Alves De Souza, Jose Eduardo COOCKO MAG Barueri, São Paulo Brazil
Anderson, Denny TOM CAT Ankeny, IA United States
Ary, George STEGGY Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo Brazil
Ashton, Greg MONTIE THE BLACK SHEEP Meridian, ID United States
Askren, Sean XFINITY Middletown, OH United States
Assis, Luiz Paulo JOTA BALLOON Cesário Lange, São Paulo Brazil
Audenaert, Filip HUG A BEAR Waasmunster Belgium
August, Joe THE CON Newport Beach, CA United States
Baker, Dave MASTER ZABA Thatcham, Berkshire United Kingdom
Ballinger, Barry IN THE BUFF Lubbock, TX United States
Béjat, Alexis THE LITTLE PRINCE Chatillon Sur Chalaronne France
Bennett, Jeff TALL STEVE Tulsa, OK United States
Bennett, Brian TERRY MOUSE Agency, IA United States
Bishop, Trent DARTH VADER Columbus, OH United States
Bonimcontro, Marcos SEABED São Paulo Brazil
Bowles, Philip DUMA Chippenham, Wiltshire United Kingdom
Brown, Toby ALICORN Denver, CO United States
Burrows, Paul BUSBY THE KING’S GUARD Bristol United Kingdom
Buzzard, Earl SPEEDY Albuquerque, NM United States
Carlton, Dean WAGZ Danville, IL United States
Cassell, James BEAGLE MAXIMUS Albuquerque, NM United States
Cato, Josh BOB THE LIGHTHOUSE Reno, TX United States
Cavin, John YELLOW BIRD Indialantic, FL United States
Cox, Jordan CHRIS P. BACON Carmel, IN United States
Cox, Justin IVO Carmel, IN United States
Davison, Neil BALLOONAFUL SUNRISE Phoenix, AZ United States
Dieringer, Nathan CHEEZY Menasha, WI United States
Dillbeck, Rick ARMADILLO SHERIFF Interlachen, FL United States
Drennan, Ben SUNNY BOY Cordele, GA United States
Eakin, Sean SOMTHIN’ FISHY Tomah, WI United States
Edwards, Don SNOBIRD Soldotna, AK United States
Ferland, Jean-Francois TICO THE SLOTH St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Québec Canada
Fogue, Vicki BUZZY Columbia, MO United States
Ford, Mike AMELIA BEARHART Albuquerque, NM United States
Gantt, Doug HAM-LET Rio Rancho, NM United States
Glen, Chris JOEY LITTLE BEE Spokane, WA United States
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Special Shape Directory
Glen, Michael JOELLY Mesa, AZ United States
Gneiting, Scott SPIDER PIG St. George, UT United States
Graham, Colin BARNSTORMER Belgrade, MT United States
Griggs, Katie SUSHI Dayton, NV United States
Griswold, Scott FIRST IN FLIGHT Selkirk, NY United States
Grogan, Patrick STRIKER Cleveland, NC United States
Haege, Brad LINDY Nashville, IL United States
Hlebechuk, Kris PUDDLES Wasilla, AK United States
Hodge, Art PANTHER The Villages, FL United States
Hodge, Jonathan SPLASH Madison Heights, MI United States
Holly, Andrew PICO Gloucestershire United Kingdom
Hooper, Lee ASTRO THE ALIEN Radstock, Somerset United Kingdom
Hunter, Seth ITSY BITSYI Avon, IN United States
Jennings, Rex BABY T-REX Vernal, UT United States
Jones, Derrick TIC TOC Grandville, MI United States
Kalousdian, Rubens FLYING BUS São Paulo Brazil
Karlsson, Diane BANDIT Chandler, TX United States
Kinser, Bill MILKYWAY Edmond, OK United States
Komadina, Mark THE STORK Rio Rancho, NM United States
Lajoye, Laurent BELZEBUTH Grand Est France
Lambert, Benoit MASTER YODA BALLOON Court St. Etienne Belgium
Lapointe, Wil KEYSTONE WILLY Indio, CA United States
Lawhorn, Rich HUMPTY DUMPTY Louisville, KY United States
Lima, Lupercio MAGIC LUNA Goiania Brazil
Lopes, Fabio TEDY AND LINDY Torres Brazil
Macedo, Warley MANDRILL Boituva, São Paulo Brazil
McClinton, Scott MARIO THE RACE CAR Prospect, KY United States
Meyer, Mark CARNIVAL Vass, NC United States
Monahan, Todd KERMIE THE FROG Queensbury, NY United States
Monk, Chris DYNO Glastonbury, Somerset United Kingdom
Monk, Claire BUSTER Glastonbury, Somerset United Kingdom
Moore, Ashley WES THE WOLF Bideford, Devon United Kingdom
Moore, Gary OWLBERT EYENSTEIN Lake Havasu City, AZ United States
Mumm, Karalyn OFF THE WALL Reno, NV United States
Naccarato, Francisco BABYMONSTER Ribeirão Prêto, São Paulo Brazil
Newlin, Pat MISS AUTUMN Riverton, WY United States
Nilz, Paddy SAHUARO GRANDE Marana, AZ United States
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Special Shape Directory
Pata, John DANGLY BITS Rio Rancho, NM United States
Phelan, Jim 1 DOWN 8-2 GO Lincoln, IL United States
Piendel, Rick BLASER DRUM Annville, PA United States
Randall, Thomas SYDNEY Placitas, NM United States
Randell, Will LULU Coopersburg, PA United States
Reichert, Sheryl PARTY! El Cajon, CA United States
Reineke, Dave PEG LEG PETE Mahomet, IL United States
Ritchie, Dale AIRABELLE Golden, British Columbia Canada
Robison, Matt GIZZMO Fort Worth, TX United States
Rolfe, Pat CYNTHIA SEAL Battle Creek, MI United States
Romaneschi, Bob LILLY LITTLE BEE Peoria, AZ United States
Sasser, Kelly RED DEVIL Phenix City, AL United States
Schuler, Jay PENCIL BOY Reno, NV United States
Semler, Jack OGGY THE FRIENDLY DRAGON Westfield, IN United States
Sevrin, Sidney SHE DEVIL Villers La Ville Belgium
Sharpe, Ian SIMBALOO Bucknell, Shropshire United Kingdom
Shrum, Tamie TE AMO Box Elder, SD United States
Sines, Jan BUZZY THE BEE Ashland, MO United States
Sines, Gary COCO THE CLOWN Ashland, MO United States
Stokoe, Steven FLYING SAUSER Lutz, FL United States
Stukas, Dan MISTER Z Central, SC United States
Taveira, Valdemir LITTLE DOG Osasco, São Paulo Brazil
Vaillanourt, Jacob SIMBA Trois Rivieres, Quebec Canada
Van Overwalle, Peter PRINCESS NELLY Nazareth, Oost Vlaanderen Belgium
Viner, John HYLA THE FROG North Muskham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom
Watters, Philippe SUNDANCE BALLOONS Belmont, Ontario Canada
Seghers, Stijn AIRE MARC TOO Lippelo, Antwerp Belgium
Sevrin, Sidney SHE DEVIL Villers La Ville Belgium
Wismer, Jack CHEZ FM Belmont, Ontario Canada
Wrighton, Simon BELLA THE BULLDOG Jersey United Kingdom
Monk, Chris DYNO
Glastonbury, Somerset United Kingdom
Monk, Claire BUSTER
Glastonbury, Somerset United Kingdom
Sharpe, Ian SIMBALOO Bucknell, Shropshire United Kingdom
Taveira, Valdemir LITTLE DOG Osasco, São Paulo Brazil
BALLOON museum
WE HAVE OUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
Experience the art, science, history and culture of ballooning and NEW EXHIBITS!
BALLOON MUSEUM EVENTS
DURING BALLOON FIESTA®
Saturday, October 7, 9am Artist talk by Bryce Risley: Focusing Beyond Balloons
Wednesday, October 11, 7am - 9 am Balloons in the Sky Early Chilhood Actvities
Thursday, October 12, 5:30–7:30pm STEAM Night Theme: Annular Eclipse A night of hands-on FUN!
Saturday, October 14, 8:30am–1pm Annular Eclipse Viewing Event
All activities included with admission
Balloon Fiesta Hours: 7am–5pm
Regular Hours: Tues-Sunday, 9am–5pm
Location: 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 Learn More: cabq.gov/balloon @AlbuquerqueBalloonMuseum @balloonmuseum
Balloon Fiesta in Miniature:
Fiesta de los Globitos
They’re the hottest trend in hot air ballooning these days. They look and fly just like the real thing, except you can’t ride in them. But oh you can have fun with them, and you don’t even have to have a pilot license.
Radio-controlled (RC) model balloons, sometimes called “globitos,” a term for “little balloons,” are all the rage, the new “must have” accessory for balloonists and wannabe balloonists. They are about ¼ the size of a standard hot-air
balloon and use a gas-fired burner to heat the air and generate lift. They have baskets or gondolas, and sometimes even a “pilot” – a stuffed critter or other mascot in the basket. There are even “special shape” globitos.
One growing trend is for balloon pilots to build RC replicas of their big balloons, or of balloons they’ve previously flown and owned. Some of these replicas are so realistic that from a distance it is almost impossible to tell which balloon it is – the
“real” one or the model. One long-time Albuquerque ballooning family whose balloon wore out even built a globito out of the still-airworthy portions of the fabric from their old balloon. It looks just like the real balloon because it is the real balloon, just cut down to a miniature size.
Globitos inflate and fly in much the same way as a standard balloon. A mini-fan blows cold air into the envelope, and when the balloon is full, the pilot lights the burner and stands the balloon upright. Then, a little more heat, and up she goes! RC balloons can be free-flown and even maneuvered to a target in the same way as a full-size hot air balloon, but more frequently they’re operated on a tether for easy retrieval.
It is possible to buy complete RC balloons “off the shelf” for a few thousand dollars, including the envelope (the “balloon” part of the balloon), basket, and fuel system. Other RC balloonists build their own complete systems from scratch. And some buy some components or kits and build other parts: for example,
they’ll buy a basket and fuel system and sew their own envelope.
Who flies RC balloons? Enthusiasts come in all ages and experience levels. Some, of course, are actual balloon pilots. A growing number are “retired” pilots who no longer actively fly, but still enjoy the camaraderie of the ballooning community. An RC balloon is much easier to inflate, fly, and pack up than a full-size balloon. And some RC enthusiasts have no connection to flying balloons, but just enjoy playing with RC models. In the true ballooning tradition, all are welcomed!
This year marks the Balloon Fiesta’s second “Fiesta de Los Globitos,” with 86 RC balloons registered to participate. It is one of the largest gatherings of RC balloons in the world. The Globitos are scheduled to be on the field, weather and wind permitting from 7:30 to 11 AM on Sunday, October 8, Wednesday, October 11, and Friday, October 13.
Photo: Don Henderson
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Globitos Directory
Photo: Selena Hardy
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Globitos Directory
Accardi, Lysa RINGMASTER Gulfport, MS United States
South Jordan, UT United States
United States
Denver, CO United States
Ryan
Albuquerque, NM United States
Albuquerque, NM United States
Byrd,
WANDERINGSTARLET Albuquerque, NM United States
United States
Anger, Frank
Belden, MS United States
Albuquerque, NM United States
Albuquerque, New MN United States
Albuquerque, NM United States
United States
Rio
NM United States
Las
NM United States
Los
United States
United States
United States
Albuquerque, NM United States
Albuquerque, NM United States
Ahrens,
DUOCORN
DARTMOUTH
Bacoccini, Kyle PATRIOT Albuquerque, NM
Bond, Melissa PETER PORKER Albuquerque, NM
Boston, Blythe SUNSET STALLIONS
Bright, Lora POCO FUEGO
Broemmer, Luke PIXELED
Browning, Joseph STARS
Rancho,
Browning, Kate PEQUEÑO PEPPERS Rio Rancho, NM
Burns, Stephanie BURNS BRIGHT Corrales, NM
James
Carrillo, Francisco A BALLOOOON!
Cowder, Dale PATCHES
Cruces,
Cutter, Chris IT’S A WORLD
Davis, John DIAMOND PRINCESS
Dickey, Carol LITTLE RAINBOW Corrales, NM
Glenn, Janell QUIET DESTINY
Gurule, Gabriel TRUE FREEDOM
Lunas, NM
Hanbicki, Deiter ASSUMPTIONS
United States
United States
United States
United
Hawkins, Jason TREASURE ISLAND Indio, CA
Head, J.T. HIGH IN THE SKY Cleveland, GA
Holman, Cliff ROCK’N OAK Baird, TX
Jones, Derrick REFLECTIONS MINI Grandville, MI United States
Kerns, Michael SIZE DOESN’T MATTER Albuquerque, NM United States
Kipp, Jr., James DAUNTLESS ENDEAVORS Fairplay, CO United States
Komadina, Steven FREEDOM Corrales, NM United States
Lombardi, Loni ENCORE Edgewood, TX United States
Lopez, Scott AIRIEL THE LITTLE UNICORN Albuquerque, NM United States
Manus, Suzi LITTLE BANDIT Los Lunas, NM United States
Mascone, Kristopher DEZZ Los Lunas, NM United States
Maung, Mike PORTHOLES Corrales, NM United States
May, Terri PEPPERMINI DREAM Albuquerque, NM United States
Mckay, Matt HOT SPOT Albuquerque, NM United States
Mouser, Michael NEW YORK’S REVENGE Canton, OH United States
Murner, Edward NOTMAX Versailles, KY United States
Myklebust, Diana SKY CANDY JR. Rio Rancho, NM United States
Ragsdale, Katelyn LITTLE GLORY Colorado Springs, CO United States
Ragsdale, Mike TBD Colorado Springs , CO United States
Raskob, Chuck EURIPIDES Albuquerque, NM
States
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Globitos Directory
Raver, Skyler TWIST OF LIME Albuquerque, NM United States
Rice, Dick FIESTA Albuquerque, NM United States
Rice, Ginger BELLA SKY Albuquerque, NM United States
Rice, Jessica BABY HEARTS A’ FIRE Rio Rancho, NM United States
Rice, Judi PATRIO Albuquerque, NM United States
Rice, Kevin CASPER Albuquerque, NM United States
Richards, Ursula BABY BURD Albuquerque, NM United States
Risley, Bryce IMPOSTOR SYNDROME Santa Fe, NM United States
Rolfe, Henry MINI-MOO Battle Creek, MI United States
Rounds, Kelly MINI Z Los Lunas, NM United States
Sanchez, Rebecca DEAD CALM Albuquerque, NM United States
Sanford, Michelle FREEDOM Albuquerque, NM United States
Scalco, Pamela KOKO Rio Rancho, NM United States
Shepherd, Mike M & B DREAMS South Jordan, UT United States
Smatana, Bernard SPECTRUM El Paso, TX United States
Stanke, Natasha BABY BOBBER Albuquerque, NM United States
Steward, Brad CORK THE PUPPY Albuquerque, NM United States
Steward, Michael STEGGY THE DINO-SOAR Albuquerque, NM United States
Stratton, Joe SHROOMS AWAY! Ottawa, KS United States
Sullivan, Alyssa OTEKAH Fayetteville, GA United States
Suttle, Penny SHAMROCK Strasburg, OH United States
Taylor, Edy BIT-O-MISCHIEF Albuquerque, NM United States
Taylor, William MUFFIN Albuquerque, NM United States
Teran Rascon, Francisco SOARING DREAM Rio Rancho, NM United States
Wellner, Andrew OCEAN BREEZE Tehachapi, CA United States
Welz, Cadence PINKY Albuquerque, NM United States
Welz, Caryn A LITTLE GUILTY Albuquerque, NM United States
Whalen, Trevor PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Groveland, MA United States
White, Cheri TEC JR Austin, TX United States
Whitney, Ryan BLUE SKIES Corrales, NM United States
Yob, David MINI VIVA Colorado Springs, CO United States
Zamarron, Luis ENCHANTED SKIES San Antonio, TX United States
A World Championship Unlike Any Other
The Coupe Gordon Bennett is the world’s oldest air race and one of the most prestigious events in aviation. It is recognized today as the gas ballooning distance world championships and features some of the world’s most skilled pilots. The objective is simple: fly the greatest distance from the starting point.
This year is the 66th edition of the Gordon Bennett and marks the fifth time the race has been held in conjunction with the Albuquerque
International Balloon Fiesta. In these pages, you’ll meet the members of 18 competing teams representing nine countries. You’ll learn more about the race’s history in the United States and about the race itself. You’ll learn about the race’s controversial founder (today’s tabloids would have loved him).
And you’ll get a glimpse of what it’s like for the pilots as they spend days aloft in a tiny basket as America, in all its beauty and vastness, slowly passes far below.
Launch of the second Coupe Aéronautique
Gordon Bennett, 1907 in St. Louis, MO.
Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Gordon Bennett Records
Distance
Bob Berben and Benôit Siméons of Belgium 3400.39 KM (2112.9 miles), 2005
Duration
Wilhelm Eimers and Bernd Landsmann of Germany, 92 hours 11 minutes, 1995
Multiple winners
Nine wins
Vincent Lëys, France (1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017) with Jean-François Lëys, Sébastian Rolland, and Christophe Houver
Seven wins
Josef Starkbaum, Austria (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1993) with Gert Sholz and Rainer Rohsler
Six wins
Ernest Demuyter, Belgium (1920, 1922, 1923,1924, 1936, 1937) with Mathieu Labrousse, Alexander Veenstra, Leon Coeckelbergh, and Pierre Hoffmans
Gert Sholz, Austria (1985 – 90) with Josef Starkbaum
Five wins
Wilhelm Eimers, Germany (1995, 1996, 2000, 2014, 2022) with Bernd Landsmann, Matthias Zenge, and Benjamin Eimers
Four wins
Kurt Frieden, Switzerland (2010, 2015, 2016, and 2021) with Pascal Witprächtiger
Jean-François Lëys, France (1997, 2001, 2002, 2003) with Vincent Lëys
Pascal Witprächtiger, Switzerland (2010, 2015, 2016, 2021) with Kurt Frieden
Three wins
Bernd Landsmann, Germany (1995, 1996, 2000) with Wilhelm Eimers
Sébastian Rolland, France (2009, 2011, 2012) with Vincent Lëys
Ward T. VanOrman, USA (1926, 1929, 1930) with Walter Morton and A.L. McCracken
Gordon Bennett Timeline
1906
The first Coupe Gordon Bennett is held, with the launch in the Tuileries Gardens in Paris. American’s Frank Lahm and Henry Hersey fly 398 miles (641 km) to win.
1907
The first Gordon Bennett in the United State is held in St. Louis. The tradition is established that the previous year’s winners earn the honor of holding the race in their country.
1914-1919
The Gordon Bennett is suspended due to World War I
1920
The Gordon Bennett resumes; the race is held in Birmingham, AL.
1933
The Gordon Bennett in Chicago, IL is the last held in the U.S. in 60 years.
1939
The race is scheduled to be held in Lwów, Poland, but is cancelled as World War II begins. It is more than 40 years before the race resumes.
1979
An unsanctioned international gas race in Long Beach, CA revives interest in international gas ballooning competition
1983
The official revival of the Coupe Gordon Bennett launches from the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
1993
The Gordon Bennett returns to the United States, launching from Albuquerque, NM during the International Balloon Fiesta
1995
Wilhelm Eimers and Bernd Landsmann of Germany set the current Gordon Bennett duration record of 92 hours 11 minutes.
2005
Bob Berben and Benôit Siméons of Belgium set the current Gordon Bennett duration record of 3,400 km (approximately 2,113 miles).
Meet the Gordon Bennett Competitors
Austria AUT-1
Gerald Stürzlinger is one of the race’s most experienced and colorful pilots – only Willi Eimers has competed in more Gordon Bennetts. Stürzlinger has finished in the top ten 16 times; the last time the Gordon Bennett was held in Albuquerque, he and co-pilot Helmut Meinhofer were the runners-up. Stürzlinger is also a worldclass hot air balloon competitor. Wolfgang Spät is a professional balloonist with more than 1,300 pilot hours. This will be Spät and Sturzlinger’s fifth Gordon Bennett flying together; they finished fifth in 2016.
Austria AUT-2
This will be Christian Wagner’s seventh Gordon Bennett; last year he and Stefanie Liller finished a very respectable 7th. Wagner also competed in the 2019 America’s Challenge, logging a flight from Albuquerque of 1,447 km (nearly 900 miles). Wagner comes from a ballooning, flying, and skydiving family and is a gas and hot air ballooning instructor who has completed more than 90 gas balloon flights. Steffi Liller is an expedition and adventure lecturer and guide specializing in the polar regions, and also a skydiving champion and a hot air balloonist.
France FRA-1
Leaders of the robust French and European ballooning communities, Benoît Pelard and Benoît Petérlé are veterans of 10 previous Gordon Bennett races and have competed together in the America’s Challenge since 2017. They’ve scored several top ten finishes in the Gordon Bennett and were third in the 2019 America’s Challenge. Pelard and Péterlé are returning to competition in the Gordon Bennett after a several years’ absence, during which they served as race officials.
France FRA-2
In just a few short years, this team has become a force to be reckoned with in international gas ballooning. They finished second in the 2021 Gordon Bennett, and Decellières, flying with the great Gordon Bennett champion Vincent Lēys, came in second in the 2019 America’s Challenge. Decellieres and Havret have two top five Gordon Bennett races and four top tens to their credit, and are known as tough, gutsy competitors. Decellières is a businessman and entrepreneur, and Harvet works in real estate.
France FRA-3
A professional balloonist and member of a ballooning and aviation family, Hervé Moine is competing in his ninth Gordon Bennett. He’s finished in the top five three times, including 3rd in 2021. He and Christophe Blanchard flew together in the race for the first time last year. Blanchard is a physician specializing in trauma care and aeronautical medicine. Although relatively new to gas ballooning, he is an experienced airplane and hot air balloon pilot, club president, and event organizer.
Germany GER-1
Wilhelm Eimers has flown in more Gordon Bennetts than any balloonist in history (this will be his 30th) and has won five times. He has more than 9,000 flight hours and holds multiple records, including the Gordon Bennett duration record of more than 92 hours aloft. Eimers’ Gasballonstartplatz Gladbeck is arguably the world’s leading training center for gas ballooning. Benjamin Eimers is this year’s recipient of the Diplome Montgolfier, ballooning’s highest award. He holds several German ballooning records and is a professional balloonist. The Eimers, father and son, are the defending Gordon Bennett champions.
Germany GER-2
Benedict Munz and Matthias Schlegel are competing in their fourth Gordon Bennett and have a couple of mid-pack finishes to their credit. Both pilots are also experienced hot air balloonists who fly in events in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Munz has nearly 1,000 hours in balloons and has twice placed in the top three in the German national hot air balloon championships. Schlegel has nearly 1,500 hours in gas and hot air balloons and, in addition to piloting, has provided weather and strategic support for several Gordon Bennett teams.
Germany GER-3
Father and son Andreas and Max Michels are new to flying in Gordon Bennett, but are experienced second and third generation balloonists. Max is a certified balloon maintenance engineer and flight instructor, and for the last five years has provided Command Center support for the Eimers and other German Gordon Bennett teams. Andreas has been involved in ballooning for more than 50 years and is a certified flight instructor with more than 2,100 hours in gas balloons and 1,900 hours in hot air balloons.
Lithuania LTU-1
Robertas Komža is a professional balloonist, designated examiner, and airship pilot and owner of a Lithuanian ride operations and balloon maintenance and repair facility. He is flying in his fourth Gordon Bennett. Both of Robertas’ sons are also balloonists and his younger son, Danielius, won the Lithuanian national hot air ballooning championship last year. Komža’s Gordon Bennett co-pilot, Romanas Mikelevičius, has more than 4,000 hours experience in hot air and gas balloons and flew with Komža in last year’s race.
Poland POL-1
After years of runner-up finishes in the America’s Challenge, jovial Polish competitor Krzyszotf Zapart broke the jinx in 2019, when he won the race with American co-pilot Andy Cayton. They landed in the Canadian wilderness, serving notice to the gas ballooning community that they’ll go for broke to win. Zapart has also flown in eight Gordon Bennett races, with seven top 10 and four top 5 finishes. His copilot, Piotr Halas, is returning to the Gordon Bennett after a quarter-century absence; he last competed in the race in 1997.
Poland POL-2
Bogdański, a member of the Polish national team, is one of only three previous Gordon Bennett winners in the field. He and Mateusz Rękas were victorious in 2018. In Albuquerque, he will fly in his eighth Gordon Bennett. Co-pilot Przemyslaw Mościcki is a Gordon Bennett rookie, but an experienced hot air balloonist. He is one of the many pilots in this race who trained with German Gordon Bennett champion Willi Eimers, including making a recent flight across the English Channel.
Poland POL-3
Olszewski and Cieślak have an unorthodox background for Gordon Bennett pilots: much of their experience was gained flying ultralight aircraft, including paragliders, flying gyrocopters and ultralight airplanes, and they became balloonists relatively recently. This will be Andrzej Olszewski’s and Jaroslaw Cieślak’s third Gordon Bennett together. They made it into the top 10 in their first race in 2021.
Spain ESP-1
González and Aguirre are funloving, adventurous pilots with fascinating ballooning resumes. González has flown over both the North and South Poles, and Aguirre has flown in 31 countries on five continents. They won the America’s Challenge gas balloon race in 2014, and in their seven previous Gordon Bennetts have two third place finishes, two fourths, and six top 10s. Both are professional balloonists who fill down time during their long hours aloft talking about soccer.
Switzerland SUI-1
Two-time Gordon Bennett competitor Balthasar Wicki made the top 10 in 2021-22. An attorney by profession, Wicki holds German gas balloon distance, duration, and altitude records and has served as head of the Swiss Ballooning Academy. Co-pilot René Erni has been a balloonist and a member of the Swiss national hot air balloon team since 2005. He is participating in his first Gordon Bennett and is a chemist in his professional life. Both Wicki and Erni are also experienced paragliders.
United Kingdom GBR-1
Deborah Day Scholes has big ballooning dreams and and recently attempted an Atlantic Ocean crossing with her husband Mike Scholes, who mentored her passion for ballooning. This will be her first Gordon Bennett, but her co-pilot, John Rose, is a professional balloonist who has competed in six previous Gordon Bennetts. Rose has several alpine crossings and four transits of the English Channel on his resume, as well as participating as a hot-air balloonist in six Balloon Fiestas.
United States USA-1
Noah Forden and Bert Padelt, the defending America’s Challenge champions, represented the US in the 2022 Gordon Bennett, finishing 9th. It was Forden’s first Gordon Bennett and Padelt’s third; they had also flown together in four America’s Challenge races, winning in 2021. Forden is an aerospace engineer and experienced fixed wing and hot air balloon pilot. Padelt owns a balloon repair facility and is a master balloon builder who has been a key member of the support teams for several notable world record flights.
United States USA-2
This Albuquerque team’s diverse ballooning resume includes thousands of hours flying gas and hot air balloons on four continents, four America’s Challenge gas balloon race wins, and third and fourth place finishes in their eight Gordon Bennett starts. They also build their own balloons (four so far), have participated in several balloon flights exploring historical and scientific concepts, and are highly respected as instructors, mentors, and leaders in the ballooning community.
United States USA-3
Mark Sullivan holds the record for the most competition gas balloon flights in history: 25 Gordon Bennett flights and 21 America’s Challenge races (including two wins). He has 14 top ten finishes in the Gordon Bennett, including two second, two third, and two fourth places. Mark is the president of the FAI Ballooning Commission (CIA), which governs ballooning international championships, competition, and world records. Cheri White, a former women’s hot air ballooning national champion and Balloon Federation of America president, has flown in the Gordon Bennett 14 times, the most ever by a female pilot.
66TH Coupe Aéronautique
Gordon Bennett Officials
Gordon Bennett Event Director Tomas Hora
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) Event Director Jennifer Garcia
Chair, AIBF Gas Balloon Committee Mark Sullivan
Deputy Gordon Bennett Event Director John Petrehn Steward Marc Andre
Safety Officer Wally Book
Assistant Safety Officers Mike Garcia, Chuck Raskob
Launch Master/AIBF Executive Director Sam Parks
Meteorologist Randy Lefevre
Scoring Officer Jim Byrd
Jury President Garry Lockyer (Canada)
Jury Members John C. Davis, IV (USA), Luc Van Geyte (Belgium)
Command Center Director Ruth Lind
Command Center Controllers Ben Anello, Jon Ashworth, Jeff Davis, Guy Feltman, Richard Iverson, Chris LaFleur, Carolyn Lilley, Stasia Ruskie, Cliff Tvede
Gordon Bennett TV Regan Tetlow, Christian Michel, Florian Michel
Media Tom Garrity, Amanda Molina, Kim Vesely
Website Ken Tuley
Field Manager Damian Duran-Arias
Hydrogen Operations Jim Smith
66TH Coupe Aéronautique
Gordon Bennett Past Winners
1907
Lwów (Poland)
1935 Warsaw (Poland) Zbigniew Burzyński, Władysław Wysocki
1983 Paris (France) Stefan Makné, Ireneusz Cieślak
1984 Zürich (Switzerland) Karl Spenger, Martin Messner
1985 Geneva (Switzerland) Josef Starkbaum, Gert Scholz
1986 Salzburg (Austria) Josef Starkbaum, Gert Scholz
1987 Seefeld (Austria) Josef Starkbaum, Gert Scholz
1988 Bregenz (Austria) Josef Starkbaum, Gert Scholz
1989 Lech (Austria) Josef Starkbaum, Gert Scholz
1990 Lech (Austria) Josef Starkbaum, Gert Scholz
1991 Lech (Austria) Volker Kuinke, Jürgen Schubert
1992 Stuttgart (Germany) David N. Levin, James Herschend
1993 Albuquerque (United States) Josef Starkbaum, Rainer Röhsler
1994 Lech (Austria) Karl Spenger, Christian Stoll
1995 Wil (Switzerland) Wilhelm Eimers, Bernd Landsmann *
1996 Warstein (Germany) Wilhelm Eimers, Bernd
1997 Warstein (Germany) Vincent Leys, Jean François Leys
1998 Paris (France) Race not held
1999 Albuquerque (United States) Phillipe de Cock, Ronny Van Havere
2000 Saint-Hubert (Belgium) Wilhelm Eimers, Bernd Landsmann
2001 Warstein (Germany) Vincent Leys, Jean François Leys
2002 Châtellerault (France) Vincent Leys, Jean François Leys
2003 Arc-et-Senans (France) Vincent Leys, Jean François Leys
2004 Thionville (France) Richard Abruzzo, Carol Rymer Davis
2005 Albuquerque (United States)
2006 Waasmunster (Belgium) Philippe de Cock, Ronny Van Havere
2007 Brussels (Belgium) Race not held
2008 Albuquerque (United States) David Hempleman-Adams, Jonathan Mason
2009 Geneva (Switzerland) Sébastien Rolland, Vincent Leys
2010 Bristol (England) Kurt Frieden, Pascal Witprächtiger
2011 Gap-Tallard (France) Sébastien Rolland, Vincent Leys
2012 Toggenburg (Switzerland) Sébastien Rolland, Vincent Leys
2013 Grand Nancy-Tomblaine (France) Vincent Leys, Christophe Houver
2014 Vichy (France) Wilhelm Eimers, Matthias Zenge
2015 Pau (France) Kurt Frieden, Pascal Witprächtiger
2016 Gladbeck (Germany) Kurt Frieden, Pascal Witprächtiger
2017 Fribourg (Switzerland) Vincent Leys, Christophe Houver
2018 Bern (Switzerland) Mateusz Rękas, Jacek Bogdański
2019 Montbéliard (France) Laurent Sciboz, Nicolas Tièche
2020 Race not held (COVID)
2021 Torun (Poland) Kurt Frieden, Pascal Witprächtiger
2023 Albuquerque (United States)
*Duration record **Distance record
2022 St. Gallen (Switzerland) Wilhelm Eimers, Benjamin Eimers
The Founder of the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett James Gordon Bennett, Jr.
Newspaper publisher, sportsman, and outrageous eccentric, James Gordon Bennett, Jr. lived one of those lives soap opera writers dream about. His name to this day is a popular expletive in England -- “Gordon Bennett!” means essentially, “Good Lord!” One can only imagine what social media would have made of him.
Bennett’s Scots-born father, James Gordon Bennett, was the founder of the New York Herald and a co-founder of the Associated Press. His son, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., was born in 1841 and largely educated in Europe. Bennett, Jr. briefly served in the Civil War as a naval officer before taking over the Herald from his father. He also was the co-founder of one of the world’s first transatlantic cable ventures.
As a newspaperman, Bennett continued in his father’s footsteps, luring prominent writers and financing headlinemaking expeditions. He sent Henry Stanley to Africa to find Dr. David Livingstone (“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?). and financed a disastrous expedition to explore the Arctic and the North Pole. Sadly, the expedition’s leader and 19 crew members died.
As a socialite, Bennett was less than a roaring success. He was banished from New York society after showing up, roaring drunk, at a New Year’s Eve party at his fiancée’s parents’ home and relieving himself in the fireplace (some say the grand
piano) in front of all the guests. His fiancée dumped him, too. He spent most of the rest of his life in Europe, living on his yacht and in Paris.
A legitimate sportsman and world-class yachtsman in his own right – he won the world’s first trans-oceanic yacht race –Bennett is today probably best known for his contributions to sports. He is generally credited with organizing the first polo match and first tennis match in the United States, and established trophies in yachting, automobile racing, airplane racing, and of course ballooning. The Gordon Bennett for automobiles was the first auto race ever held, and the Coupe Gordon Bennett for gas balloons
is the world’s oldest air race and is the only one of the events Bennett founded that survives as a major international event. Ironically, Bennett never drove a car or, as far as we know, flew a balloon.
Bennett remained active in journalism into World War I, but his charitable contributions, expensive journalistic stunts, outrageous lifestyle, and passion for sports depleted his and the Herald’s resources. Bennett died in France in 1918, and five years later, the Herald merged with its hated rival the Tribune to become the now also-defunct New York HeraldTribune. His name survives on several Siberian islands, as well as a lake, peak, and ghost town in British Columbia.
IThe Gordon Bennett in the United States
By Kim Vesely, for the AIBF Heritage Committee
Historic Photos from the Albert Van Den Bemden Collection
t is perhaps not surprising that Americans, and even some American balloonists, know very little about the world’s oldest air race. The Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett is a thrilling, mano-a-mano competition among gas balloonists, founded in Europe in 1906 by American expatriate James Gordon Bennett, who could be described as a “man’s man.”
(You can learn more about him in the article on on the previous page.) Winning is long on bragging rights and short (like nonexistent) on prize money. But the winners do earn the honor of having their country host the race in the next two years. In the race’s modern era, the Gordon Bennett has become almost an exclusively European preserve, and small wonder. For many reasons, gas ballooning has never really caught on in the United States. Gas flights take place much more frequently
in Europe, where hydrogen, the current lifting gas of choice, is less expensive and easier to get. By contrast, largely due to the unavailability of affordable hydrogen, America’s small cadre of gas balloonists has been all but grounded for the last four years. It was not always so. In the early, pre World War II days of the Gordon Bennett, American pilots frequently triumphed over their European counterparts, and as a result several U.S. cities hosted the race. But with the expansion of air power in the two World Wars, gas balloons all but disappeared in the US, an anachronism pursued by a handful of enthusiasts who appreciated the history and glamor of the sport. The Gordon Bennett itself disappeared: at least one influential European balloonist, the great Fred Dolder, deemed the Gordon Bennett races to be a thing of the past.
1906: The very first Coupe Gordon Bennett, in the heart of Paris
This all began to change in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett resumed as an internationally-sanctioned event in 1983. Since then, only five of the 41 Gordon Bennett races have been held in the United States, all of them in Albuquerque, NM.
The early Gordon Bennetts in the U.S.
The first Coupe Gordon Bennett began in the shadow of the Louvre, in the historic Tuilières Gardens in the center of Paris. Two hundred thousand ecstatic Parisians turned out to see the launch. The first winners were an American team, U.S. Army Lieutenant Frank Lahm and co-pilot Henry Hersey. Under the rules established by Bennett for his balloon race, as for his races in other sports, the winning team’s home country was afforded the honor of holding the next year’s event. Therefore, in 1907, the race came to the United States for the first time and was held in St. Louis, MO.
Lahm’s victory got a lot of attention back home, and several officers rushed to get their balloon licenses. Lahm himself became ill and couldn’t compete, but Henry Hersey headed one of the three American teams. Three German, two French, and one British team crossed the pond to compete (a second British team, which included Charles S. Rolls of Rolls-Royce fame, was a no-show). The race was won by German Oscar Erbslöh, flying 872 miles (1,404 km.) with an American co-pilot, Henry Helm Clayton* Erbslöh, tragically, died three years later in an airship accident.
*This was before the Gordon Bennett rule was established which requires both pilot and co-pilot to be citizens of the country for which they compete.
Edgar Mix’s victory at the 1909 Gordon Bennett brought the race back to the U.S. and to St. Louis in 1910. This year, the winds were to the north. The good news is that there’s a lot of land north of St. Louis, making for some very long flights. Seven of the 10 balloons crossed the Great Lakes and headed into Canada. The eventual winners, Americans Alan Hawley and Augustus Post, flew 1,172 miles (1888 km.), the longest Gordon Bennett flight up to that time.
Unfortunately for the competitors, a lot of Canada -especially in 1910 -- was trackless wilderness. Several teams were lost for days. One German team landed in Lake Nipising, swam ashore, and was greeted by the local Indians. Another abandoned their balloon in the wilderness and spent 10 days hiking out. Their balloon was found three months later by Inuits. It took nearly as long for the winners to get out word of their whereabouts. They had a four-day hike from their landing site to a woodcutter’s cabin, and even then were far from civilization.
In 1911, the race moved from St. Louis to Kansas City. The Americans had high hopes of winning a third Gordon Bennett but this wasn’t to be the Americans’ year. Hans Gericke, who had finished second the year before, won the event with co-pilot Otto Duncker. Their weather-shortened flight of 471 miles (758 km) ended in Wisconsin.
Americans Ralph Upson and R.A.I. Preston captured the cup in 1913, when the race was held in Paris. But World War I intervened, and it was seven long years before the Gordon
Inflation proceeds at the 1920 Gordon Bennett at Birmingham, AL.
completed his historic powered non-stop crossing of the Atlantic. The Germans were back (the Austrians would not return until the 1930s) with high hopes of victory. However, the last years of the 1920’s were to be all red, white, and blue. Edward Hill and A.G. Schlosser won the 1927 race with a 744 mi. (1198 km.) flight.
In 1928, the race was back in Detroit, with much hoopla: it included a 6,000mile airplane race with 50 competitors as well as an air show. Orville Wright (yes, that Orville, the co-inventor of the airplane) was the race director. Sixty thousand spectators were on hand to hear Edsel Ford (yes, that Edsel) fire the starting gun. Once again, the Americans claimed victory. The team of William Kepner and W.O. Eareckson flew only 460 miles (741 km), but in a stormlashed year, it was enough.
Bennett race was resumed. By then, the world had changed, ravaged by world conflict. James Gordon Bennett, the race’s sponsor, died in 1918. The future of flight clearly belonged to the airplane; balloons were fast becoming an afterthought, if not a frivolous distraction.
Nonetheless, the race was revived and held in Birmingham, AL. Austria and Germany, considered to be guilty parties in the war, were excluded from participating (until 1927). The event proved to be a great success with the public, but not for the Americans. This was the year Belgium’s Ernest Demutyer began his long reign as King of the Gordon Bennett, achieving the first of his six wins. His flight, from Birmingham to Lake Champlain in Vermont, remains the twelfth-longest in Gordon Bennett history (1,099 mi./1769 km.).
In 1926, Ward T. Van Orman ended the Belgians’ streak with the first of his three Gordon Bennett triumphs. The 1927 race was held in Detroit, MI, just a few months after Lindbergh
The race moved to St. Louis in 1929 and to Cleveland in 1930. Both events were won by Ward Van Orman and A.L. McCracken. Once again, thunderstorms plagued the 1929 race, creating some of the most difficult flying conditions in the race’s history. The three American teams swept the top three places, demonstrating the superiority of American-made balloons manufactured by Goodyear. But the world was losing interest in balloon races and the Europeans were losing interest in competing on another continent. The American teams swept again in 1930, but only six teams -- three American, three European -- competed. Clearly, something needed to be done.
The Gordon Bennett took a year off in 1931, and the Americans agreed to let the F.A.I. choose a site for the 1932 race. The event was held in Basle, Switzerland, but the switch in continents didn’t faze the Americans. T.G.W. Settle and W. Bushnell brought the race back to America, and in 1933, the race was held in Chicago. The winds took the balloons northeast across the Great Lakes. The heavier German and French balloons were outmatched by the lighter weight balloons of the Americans. However, this time, a European team had the lightweight technology to stay with the Americans. Polish pilots Franxyzek Hynek and Zbigniew Bruzynski triumphed and began several years of Polish domination of the Gordon Bennett. Their run of success was broken only by the great Ernest Demuyter’s last two victories . . . and by World War II.
The Great War, with its emphasis on air power, was no place for balloons, although the Japanese launched unmanned, pyrotechnic-carrying gas balloons, called Fu Go’s, in a farfetched scheme to unleash terror on the United States.
Ward Van Orman of the United States
Hundreds of the Fu Go’s actually made it to the Americas, though they caused few deaths and little damage. In the aftermath of the war, gas ballooning was largely forgotten with the exception of a few romantic enthusiasts around the world.
The Modern Era
Two parallel events played a role in the revival of interest in a distance gas balloon race. One was the growing visibility of, and popularity of, hot air ballooning. Then, in 1978, the world was mesmerized by the successful completion of the first transatlantic balloon flight by a team of pilots from Albuquerque: Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman. In 1979, the first of several races held in the United States under the name “Friends of Gordon Bennett” was held, attracting a strong international field and arguably reviving interest in distance gas ballooning competition in the US and abroad. Abruzzo and Anderson won the first of these races, and the legendary Joe Kittinger emerged victorious three times, the last time with his wife, Sherry, as co-pilot.
However, the Friends of Gordon Bennett races were never officially sanctioned. Way back in 1906, James Gordon Bennett had entrusted the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world air sports federation chartered in 1905, with running the event. The FAI, for a variety of reasons, did not sanction the American races. Instead, in 1983, it brought back the Gordon Bennett as an officially-sanctioned event, with a storm-lashed launch from the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Polish pilots Stefan Makne and Ireneuz Cieslak won a race shortened by international borders (East Germany would not permit balloons to fly into the country). Americans Maxie Anderson and Don Ida, flying as non-competitors, died while attempting to land short of the East German border.
The race didn’t return to America until 1993, exactly 60 years after its last appearance in the United States. In 1992, Americans David Levin and James Herschend became the first U.S. winners since T.G.W. Settle in 1932. This gave the U.S. the privilege of hosting the next Gordon Bennett. By then, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta had become the world’s most visible and widely-attended ballooning event. The Balloon Fiesta had also, from time to time, hosted gas balloon races. Bringing the race to Albuquerque was a logical step.
ABOVE: August 1978: Double Eagle II prepares for launch (National Geographic/AAAIBM)
LEFT: “Friends of Gordon Bennett” balloon mail (Author’s collection)
The launch of the 1993 Gordon Bennett had all the pageantry the Balloon Fiesta event staff could dream up, including the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra playing the teams’ national anthems as they launched. With 20 balloons from 10 nations competing, it was one of the largest distance balloon races in history. This proved to be a race where experience paid off and those who could best use the weather data prevailed. For 13 teams, convective activity and the inability to clear the mountains spelled an early end to the race. The great Josef Starkbaum, with co-pilot Rainer Rohsler, won the last of his seven victories, flying 1,138 miles (1832 km.) to a landing at Campbellsport, MN.
It would be another 11 years before an American team would win a Gordon Bennett, but as fate would have it, the race would return to the United States long before. In 1999, following the weather-related cancellation of the 1998 race, the F.A.I. requested bids from potential host cities. As a result of that process, the F.A.I. brought the Gordon Bennett back to Albuquerque, which – thanks to the inauguration of the
America’s Challenge race in 1995 -already had the infrastructure in place to run a large-scale gas balloon race. The Belgian team of Phillipe de Cock and Ronny Van Havare flew 1,035 miles (1667 km), landing in Mississippi. The Canadian team of Leo Burman and Danielle Francoeur finished second, the highest sanctioned finish up to that time for a woman. Teams from Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany rounded out the top five.
The Gordon Bennett returned to America and Albuquerque in 2005, following Richard Abruzzo’s and Carol Rymer Davis’ 2004 Gordon Bennett win (the last by an American team). It is hardly surprising that Abruzzo and Davis entered this race as the favorites to win, as defending champions who both had spent much of their ballooning lives flying in Albuquerque. But their race ended less than 24 hours after they launched, when Abruzzo was thrown out of the basket after the balloon contacted powerlines in Kansas. Both pilots were lucky to have survived, and tragically, both were killed in 2010 while competing in the Gordon Bennett.
The 2005 Gordon Bennett was epic in every way, one of
The 2008 Gordon Bennett (Author’s collection)
Winners of Gordon Bennett Races Held in the U.S.
Year City Winners
1907 St Louis, MO Oscar Erbsloh/Henry Clayton (Germany/USA)
1910 St Louis, MO Alan Hawley/Augustus Post (USA)
1911 Kansas City, KS Hans Gericke/Otto Duncker (Germany)
1920 Birmingham, AL Ernest Demuyter/ M. Labrousse (Belgium)
1927 Detroit, MI Edward Hill/A.G. Schlosser (USA)
1928 Detroit, MI William Kepner/ W.O. Eareckson (USA)
1929 St. Louis, MO Ward Van Orman/ A.L. McCracken (USA)
1930 Cleveland, OH Ward Van Orman/ A.L. McCracken (USA)
1933 Chicago, IL Francyzek Hynek/ Zbigniew Burznyski (Poland)
1993 Albuquerque, NM Josef Starkbaum/ Rainer Rohsler (Austria)
1999 Albuquerque, NM Phillipe de Cock/ Ronny Van Havere (Belgium)
2005 Albuquerque, NM Bob Berben/Benoit Siméons (Belgium)
2008 Albuquerque, NM David Hempleman-Adams/ Jon Mason (Great Britain)
2023 Albuquerque, NM ???
the largest mass launches of gas balloons ever held, with 26 balloons lifting off from Balloon Fiesta Park: 14 Gordon Bennett competitors followed by 12 balloons participating concurrently in the Balloon Fiesta’s America’s Challenge gas balloon competition. Eight Gordon Bennett teams flew further than 1,000 mi. (1,621 km), and the top four broke the old Gordon Bennett distance record which had stood since 1912. Belgium’s Bob Berben and Benoît Siméons flew 3,400.39 km (2,112.9 miles), landing about 30 miles east of Rivere du Loop, Quebec, Canada and establishing a new Gordon Bennett distance record that still stands today.
Three years later, the Gordon Bennett competitors were back in Albuquerque. Once again, the race was run concurrently with the America’s Challenge. David Hempleman-Adams and Jonathan Mason became the first and still the only team from Great Britain to ever win the Gordon Bennett. Their distance of 1,768.67 km (1,099 miles) was respectable, but this race was especially epic for its duration. Hempleman-Adams and Mason were aloft for more than 74 hours. Second place finishers
Gerald Sturzlinger and Helmut Meirhofer of Austria, in trying to overtake the winners, flew for 76 hours and 21 minutes, and the U.S. third place team of Barbara Fricke and Peter Cuneo stayed up for 73 hours 36 minutes before hitting snow in Minnesota and having to land.
So what lies in store for the first Gordon Bennett to be held in the United States in 15 years? The previous Gordon Bennetts held in Albuquerque offer some clues. The wide-open spaces of the U.S. and Canada offer competitors the opportunity to fly long distances without having to deal with international borders, running into oceans or seas, or (if they stay north of Mexico) “closed” countries. You can follow and root for your favorite teams in real time through live satellite tracking on the free YB tracking app or the 2023 Gordon Bennett website.
The authors of our Coupe Gordon Bennett material gratefully acknowledge Ulrich Hohmann, Sr.and Uli Hohmann, Jr. of Germany, who have compiled in detail the history of the Gordon Bennett, along with the work done by Hans Åkerstedt of Sweden and others in compiling information on notable balloon flights and achievements.
Your Questions about the Gordon Bennett
What is the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett?
The Coupe Aéronatique Gordon Bennett is the world’s oldest air race, founded in 1906. It is currently considered to be the world championship event for gas balloons and is one of only two gas balloon distance races in the world. The other is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta’s America’s Challenge, which will not be held this year.
How do you win?
It’s simple: the winner is the team that flies the greatest distance from the launch point, Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, while competing within the event rules.
What do you win?
A trophy and lots of attaboys (or girls) and bragging rights. There is no prize money associated with winning the Gordon Bennett.
What is a gas balloon?
Unlike hot air balloons, which use heated ambient air for lift, gas balloons get their lift from a lighter-than-air gas, such as hydrogen or helium. Almost all gas balloons now use hydrogen, the lightest of the gases. Helium, which until recently was the gas of choice in the United States due to its stability, has become prohibitively expensive and scarce.
How do gas balloons “work”?
The lifting gas (hydrogen) is contained in an envelope (the “balloon” part of the balloon) that is built out of heavy, nonporous, conductive fabric. However, as the gas expands and contracts with the normal heating and cooling cycles during the day, some hydrogen is lost. To maintain altitude, the pilot must then get rid of weight. So gas balloons carry expendable weight, referred to as “ballast,” usually in the form of water carried in jugs and sand carried in bags hung on the side of the basket.
Since ballast is essential for maneuvering and especially landing, there are essentially two “consumables” that affect the amount of time a gas balloon can stay aloft and – indirectly –the distance it can travel: gas and ballast. The pilots that do the best job of conserving both often are in the best position to win the race.
How do you fly a gas balloon?
To simplify a very complicated process: to go up you get rid of weight by dropping sand or water ballast (or anything else that has weight, if you’re desperate enough). To come down, you “valve” gas by pulling a rope in the basket that opens a panel in the top of the balloon to release hydrogen. Pilots can also take advantage of the natural expansion of gas due to solar heating after sunrise to go up, and the contraction of gas as the air cools around sunset to come down. Needless to say, pilots try to valve and ballast as little as possible, since gas and sand are the equivalent of fuel in a car and they can’t stop at the gas station to get any more!
Why are gas balloons usually white?
The highly reflective white color helps provide stability. The reflectivity lessens the impacts of solar heating and cooling on the gas inside the envelope, helping to minimize loss of gas throughout the flight and maximize flight time.
How big are the balloons?
The maximum size for balloons competing in the Gordon Bennett is 1,000 cubic meters (about 35,315 cu. ft.). Typical hot air balloons are two to three times larger. Smaller gas balloons can participate, but are at a disadvantage in a distance race.
How do they refuel?
They don’t. Once the balloon takes off, the pilots have at their disposal only the gas, ballast, instruments, and supplies (food, water, clothing, etc.) that they carry on board.
How far can they go?
It depends on the wind and weather. But the distance record for the Gordon Bennett is 3400.39 KM (2112.9 miles), set in 2005 by Bob Berben and Benôit Siméons of Belgium. They flew from Albuquerque to southern Quebec province, landing near Riviere do Loupe. The record for a gas balloon competition flight is 3670.76 km (2,275.9 miles), set by Nicolas Tièche and Laurent Sciboz of Switzerland during the 2017 America’s Challenge.
A crew of two: defending champions Wilhelm and Benjamin Eimers aloft during the Gordon Bennett . Photo courtesy Team Eimers
How long can they stay up?
The world duration record for 1,000 cubic meter balloons is an astounding 92 hours 11 minutes, set by Germany’s Wilhelm Eimers and Bernd Landsmann in the 1995 Coupe Gordon Bennett. They flew from Wil, Switzerland to Ludzasraj, Latvia.
Do gas balloons have chase crews?
Yes, since as is the case with hot air balloons they rarely return to the launch point. The difference with a gas flight is that the balloon often travels many hundreds of miles. Gas balloon chases can be real adventures and require a lot of stamina and creativity. Pilots have on occasion had to retrieve their balloons with helicopters, watercraft, and even a moose hauler – a horse especially trained to pull heavy loads out of forested areas.
How many people are in the balloons?
Each balloon has a crew of two, a pilot and a co-pilot. Although the titles might suggest otherwise, in practice the pilots fully share the responsibilities of the flight and are often equally skilled.
Who are these people?
They are extraordinary ordinary people, with a spirit for adventure, the ability to endure the rigors of long-distance flight, and – often – a strong sense of poetry about the incredible beauty they see on their slow-motion journeys. In “real” life, they pursue (or did, before retirement) a variety of professions: businessmen, lawyers, doctors, professors, engineers, aviators. In general they are not thrill seekers, but rather detail-oriented, meticulous planners and carefully calculated risk-takers. While they are obviously highly competitive, they will tell you that the greatest rewards are the incredible journeys they take, the experiences they share, and the friends they make along the way.
LEFT: A long night aloft during Nicolas Tièche and Laurent Sciboz’s record-setting 2017 flight. (Photo courtesy Laurent Sciboz)
Barbara Fricke waves goodbye. Note the ballast: bags containing sand hanging from the basket and the jug of water in Barbara’s hand. She’ll pour some out if she needs a bit of extra lift as she launches.
IThree Days of “Aerial Camping”
Life Aloft in the Gordon Bennett
magine just for a moment that your living room, kitchen, office, bedroom, and bathroom are in a space the size of a small closet but with no walls or ceiling. Then imagine you have to share this space with a roommate who is within a foot of you for hours and days, with no escape. And then, imagine that this space is suspended thousands of feet off the ground, constantly moving and exposed to the weather.
This gives you just a glimpse of what life is like for the teams who compete in the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett – aloft for days out in the open, brutally hot during the day and freezing cold at night, sleep-deprived, cramped, often at high altitudes which require them to wear a canula or face mask to breathe bottled oxygen, and, well, there’s this bathroom thing again.
The pilots’ “home” during the competition is an open basket or gondola suspended below a hydrogen balloon. There’s usually a narrow platform on which one of the pilots can catch a few hours’ sleep while the other keeps watch. Their flight instruments – altimeter, rate of climb indicator, radios, trackers, and transponder -- are hung on the inside of the basket or from the load ring overhead that connects the basket to the balloon. Most of their other gear – sleeping bags, extra clothes, food – hangs in duffel bags on the outside of the basket.
A fair chunk of space is taken up by a huge, thick rope – the trail rope used for landing – coiled up in a big bag, and by the precious sand contained in bags hanging outside the basket. The sand, referred to as ballast, is the equivalent of fuel, and is poured overboard to lighten the weight of the balloon and
make it go up. A cover to provide some relief from the weather and handling lines for the balloon hangs overhead.
For food, the pilots carry tinned or freeze-dried hikers’ meals, fresh fruit, beef jerky, energy bars, and their favorite snacks. Most pilots who fly long distance gas flights say they often have to force themselves to eat. Since they can’t move much in the basket’s confined space, they don’t have much of an appetite.
Drinking lots of fluids – water, electrolyte-replacement drinks, and other beverages – is very important to prevent dehydration, especially since the pilots often spend much of the flight at high altitudes that require oxygen. Jugs of water, for drinking and use as ballast (since water has weight), are usually stored inside the basket.
Privacy? Forget about it. The pilots, to a man or woman, will tell you that one of the biggest challenges, even bigger than flying the balloon, is simply being cooped up in this tiny space with another person for hours and days on end. It can be taxing even for those who are good friends and used to flying together. You can imagine what it’s like if the pilots for some reason aren’t getting along.
Oh yes, almost forgot the most frequently asked question. The team has a bucket or other porta-potty-type conveyance to facilitate their “business”, and they try to keep that business to a minimum. The fact that they don’t eat much helps in this area.
Then, after hours and often days in the air, tired from remaining constantly alert, the team must summon their remaining mental and physical faculties for one of the flight’s most demanding and difficult phases – executing a safe landing.
Finally safe back in the loving arms of Mother Earth, they wait for their chase crew to help them secure the balloon, and head for a well-earned shower and a night’s sleep in a real bed.
So, this is fun? Well, yes, actually. Team members wax enthusiastically about the ever-changing view, as cities, farms, mountains, and rivers slowly pass below. At night, the stars dazzle overhead and coyotes howl below, breaking the silence and isolation. Regardless of their race result, the teams feel the satisfaction of meeting the challenge, using only the wind and their wits to go the distance. They leave the cares of our world behind to live in a world of their own. They share a bond with their fellow pilots that transcends competition and builds international friendships that last a lifetime.
What’s not to like?
TOP RIGHT: America the beautiful: the rewards of long distance balloon flight. Photo courtesy Cheri White
ABOVE: Welcome to our living room! There’s room for Noah Forden, Bert Padelt (both wearing safety harnesses), and not much else. Noah wrote that, “living in an open, hand-woven wicker basket the size of a small broom closet with another man for a couple of days is not something I would have ever thought I would want to do.” (Photo courtesy Noah Forden)
OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP PHOTO: Sandbags, gear, and the trail rope strapped to the outside of Barbara Fricke and Peter Cuneo’s gondola just before launch. Photo courtesy Ray Palmer
OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM PHOTO: On oxygen as is typical for much of the flight, the U.S’s Andy Cayton and Poland’s Krzysztof Zapart look like they’re having a great time, huh? Photo courtesy Andy Cayton
It’s Not a Spy Balloon!
It’s the second week of October, and you’re looking up into the sky. Way up there you see a white balloon. You grab your binoculars, and you see a couple of antennas dangling beneath. Uh-oh, it’s got to be another one of those spy balloons, right? Wrong.
In all probability, you’re seeing one of the balloons participating in the Coupe Gordon Bennett, the world gas balloon competition which launched in Albuquerque, NM. These balloons fly for two or three days, and carry two people we promise are not secret agents. The antennas and gear you see dangling from the basket are communications antennas for the team’s flight instruments and radios, as well as solar collectors to power their equipment. The teams are in touch with air traffic controllers, and federal aviation officials and law enforcement are well aware of who these folks are and what they are doing.
But how can you tell for sure that what you’re seeing is one of our good guys (or gals), and not something more sinister?
First, all of our balloons are being tracked in real time on the Gordon Bennett page on the Balloon Fiesta website. You can log onto the site at https://balloonfiesta.com/GordonBennett-2023 to see exactly where the balloons are and follow the competitors’ progress across the country. You’ll not only be able to tell whether there’s a balloon in your neighborhood, but also which balloon it is, who the pilots are, what country it comes from, and their speed, altitude, and direction of travel. You can also download the free YB tracking app on your computer and favorite mobile device, subscribe to the 2023 Gordon Bennett (also free), and have access to this information wherever you go.
The Gordon Bennett race Command Center monitors the balloons 24-7 and works with FAA traffic controllers and (when necessary) law enforcement to support the flight and retrieve the balloons once they land. You can call your local FAA office or police department with questions, and they can contact our Command Center.
So please don’t shoot! Instead, follow the Gordon Bennett online, and enjoy the adventure!
That white dot over the west Texas landscape isn’t a spy balloon! It’s Foxtrot Charlie, a gas balloon with Barbara Fricke and Peter Cuneo aboard, flying in the 2021 America’s Challenge. Their chase crew, Ray and Sue Palmer, took the photos in this article.
Women in the Coupe Gordon Bennett
The first woman to fly in the Coupe Aéronautique
Gordon Bennett was Mme. Gustave Goldschmidt, copilot to Renee Rumpelmayer of France. They finished 6th. It took nearly 80 years for an all-female team to make an appearance in the race: in 1984, the late Nikki Caplan flew to an 11th place finish with co-pilot Jane C. Buckless. And it took nearly 100 years – 98, to be specific – for a woman to be declared victorious in the world’s oldest air race. That woman is American Carol Rymer Davis, who competed with Richard Abruzzo. They won the rain-lashed, frigid 2004 Gordon Bennett with a flight from Thionville in France across the North Sea to a landing in Sweden. It was only one of Davis’ many notable ballooning achievements. She also finished second in the 2000 Gordon Bennett and won two other major gas balloon distance races, the 1999 ReMax Challenge and the 2003 America’s Challenge. Her many honors include the US NAA Harmon Trophy, the Montgolfier Diploma, and the FAI Sabiha Gökcen medal, awarded for outstanding achievement by
a woman in any form of aviation. She also still holds the world altitude record for class AX-5 and AX-6 hot air balloons, and set several hot air balloon distance and duration records. Sadly, Davis and Abruzzo were killed in 2010 over the Adriatic Sea while flying in the Gordon Bennett.
The Gordon Bennett is still a mostly male preserve, but 26 women have competed in the race beginning with Ms. Goldschmidt’s flight in 1913. A few besides Davis have come close to winning. In 1999, Danielle Francoeur of Canada, flying with Leo Burman, finished second to Philipe de Cock and Ronny van Havere of Belgium. The U.S. Virgin Island’s Jackie Robertson (1993), Austria’s Silvia Wagner (1994), Americans Barbara Fricke (2008) and Cheri White (2009), and Germany’s Dr. Marion Lausch (2014) have finished third.
Four women are scheduled to fly in the 2023 Gordon Bennett: Fricke, White, Stefanie Liller of Austria, and Deborah Day Scholes of Great Britain.
The 2023 Heritage Award
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® (AIBF) Heritage Award recognizes individuals who have made significant and long-time contributions to Balloon Fiesta through the preservation of AIBF corporate or event history, promotion, communication, or educational activities, or through other innovations that have been shown to help achieve AIBF’s mission statement. This year, the Balloon Fiesta recognizes long-time Balloon Fiesta official Chuck Raskob.
Chuck’s professional background is in radio communications: until his recent retirement he could be found climbing radio towers, on Sandia Crest in the winter! to do repairs. His involvement with Balloon Fiesta goes all the way back to the event’s beginnings in 1972, when he volunteered with the ACRA Emergency Net to provide radio support. He continued to work with ACRA through 1978, by which time he was hooked on ballooning and training to be a pilot. However, his expertise in radio communications continues to benefit Balloon Fiesta.
Chuck flew in the Balloon Fiesta from 1981 through 1997, taking a year off to serve as a launch director (Zebra) in 1987. In 1998 he stepped back from flying and became a
safety official, ultimately serving as Chief Safety Officer (2003-05), Assistant Balloonmeister (2006-2008) and Balloonmeister (200910). He still can be found on the field in his capacity as a safety officer.
For the past 23 years, Chuck has also been a volunteer official for the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon race and, in 2005, 2008, and 2023, the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett. His many contributions include issuing trackers that monitor the gas balloons’ in-flight positions, hydrogen safety and checking and repair of the field’s grounding grid, and assisting with the weigh-off and launch.
Chuck’s new passion and latest focus is the Balloon Fiesta’s newest event, the Fiesta de los Globitos. He has become event organizer Melissa Bond’s “right hand man” in running what is already one of the world’s largest showcases for radio-controlled balloons. When he’s not acting as an organizer of RC balloon events, you can probably find Chuck flying one. Learn more about RC balloons and the event on page 97.
We are delighted to recognize Chuck Raskob for his contributions to the success of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
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Kelly McClure
Michelle McClure
Twyla McComb
Becca McConaghy
Suzanne McConaghy
Kyle McConahy
Amy McConnell
Mark McConnell
James McConville
Danny McCoy
John McCoy
Donald McCurdy
Matthew McCurdy
Diane McDermott
Shelly McDermott
Cat McGrath-Farmer
Lourdes McKenna
Martha McKinney
McKown
Michael Mclaughlin Kathleen McMichael
McNally Christina Meadows Barbara Medina Naomi Medina
