National Balloon Classic
2025 Champion:
#62 - Patrick Cloyd
Molon Labe
Indianola, IA
#35
How do hot air balloons compete?
A hot air balloon “race” is based on flying accuracy and skill rather than speed. Pilots compete in several tasks; points are calculated throughout the week to determine the overall North Central Regional Championship, the State Championship, and the highly coveted National Balloon Classic Champion.
The blue square indicates a balloon’s competition Banner Number. Some banners are duplicates if the balloon is flown by more than one pilot.
2026 Pilots
Blake Aldridge
Chrome Dome
Kyle, TX
Allen Anderson
Pixie Styx
Minden, NV
Al Appenzeller
Hidden Surprises
Indianola, IA
Scott Armstrong
Twisted Truth
Urbandale, IA
Alex Augustad
August Sky
Sioux Falls, SD
Bill Baker
Checkered Past
Longview, TX
Christine Bertsch
Champagne Supernova
Indianola, IA
Peg Billson
Shilo
Albuquerque, NM
Branden Bloom
Royal Racer
Ackworth, IA
Cory Bloom
CzechMate
Indianola, IA
Adam Boden
Perfect Timing
Indianola, IA
Ken Bolton
Air Forge
Carlisle, IA
Bill Bussey
Yin Yang
Longview, TX
Gary Cass
Red Hot
Yuma, AZ
Amie Cato
Grilled Cheese
Reno, TX
Bret Christian
ResurreXion
Indianola, IA
Benji Clemons
Leftturn
Norwalk, IA
Leroy Clair
High Class Hottie
Carlisle, IA
Pam Clemons
Kahwoka
Boone, IA
Christopher Cliver
His Wife’s Chagrin
Nashville, TN
Harold Cliver
Iridian
Lewisville, TX
Patrick Cloyd
Molon Labe
Indianola, IA
Tim Cloyd
Son Light
Runnells, IA
Brad Craig
Cheetah
Carlisle, IA
Jason Davis
Purple Haze
Milo, IA
Nick Donner
Blue Grass Rocket II
Atlanta, GA
Ken Draughn
Xtremely Contagious
Burlington, NC
Scott Edgerton
Sugar High
Indianola, IA
Matt Fenster
RE/MAX
Bellevue, NE
Aaron Foelske
The Hummingbird
New Lenox, IL
Aaron Gebhart
Trickster
Milo, IA
Joshua Goll
Texas Twister
Longview, TX
Edward Gordon
Freedom Won
Austin, TX
Mike Green
Horizon
Des Moines, IA
Bill Griffin
Golden Griffin III
Carlisle, IA
Matthew Grote
X Rated Jester
Rio Rancho, NM
Mark Harris
Sew Grateful
Denver, CO
Jason Hartson
Eclipse
Pella, IA
Todd Hastie
Yutt 2 Hey
Fleming Island, FL
Angelica Haus
In a Wink of an Eye
Ankeny, IA
Gary Haynes
Racer Del Sol
Indianola, IA
Joe Heartsill
Texas Racer
San Angelo, TX
Gary Heavin
Almost Heaven
Gatesville, TX
Joey Hernandez
Rainbow Joyrider
Prosser, WA
Garrett Hillary
Knot Anymore
Scales Mound, IL
Darcy Hoch
Highly Contagious
Milo, IA
Jamie Hohman
Out of the Blue
Olathe, KS
Craig Hunter
Living the Dream
Gretna, NE
Todd Isley
Thin Blue Line II
Carlisle, IA
Andrew James
Aerius
Savannah, MO
Robb Johnson
Joker’s Wild
Council Bluffs, IA
Jason Jones
Red Dawn
Overland Park, KS
Maddie Jones
Chaos
Overland Park, KS
Michael Jones
Thunderbolt
Omaha, NE
Samson Jones
Charlie Brown
Overland Park, KS
Ann Keller
Sapphire Skye
Indianola, IA
Jeremy King
Happy Camper
Indianola, IA
Ben Leatherman
Timeless
Coldwater, MI
Jason Loving
Duck Duck Goose
Ottumwa, IA
Collin McClung
Freedom Breeze
Longview, TX
Russell Nauman
Sky Ryder
Des Moines, IA
Jack Nelson
Aerial51
Waukee, IA
Ron Nollen
Last Lap
Hartland, WI
Rob Nutting
Kubi
Ackworth, IA
Landon Olson
Reach For The Stars
Indianola, IA
Fabio Passos
Kodachrome
Ackworth, IA
John Petrehn
Photo Finish
Arlington, TX
Paul Petrehn
Enigma
Howell, MI
Grant Pfeifer
With A Twist
Des Moines, IA
Holly Pfeifer
Cherry Bomb
Norwalk, IA
Zachary Prickett
Got Lucky
Hartford, IA
Chris Reinert
Break Free
Alta, IA
Keegan Render
VTL
Indianola, IA
Tom Ricke
Another Pastime
Clive, IA
Matt Riley
Spirit of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Jeremy Rubin
Trilogy
Ankeny, IA
Richard Sabin
Sea Breeze
Henderson, TX
Chase Sanders
Black Ice
Norwalk, IA
Lauren Sawin
Air She Goes
Raleigh, NC
Kasey Schwemmer
Zenith
Wichita, KS
McKenna Secrist
Twisted Charlie
Bothell, WA
Joe Seymour
Joyous Pleasures
Indianola, IA
Bob Shelton
Straylight
Indianola, IA
Jon Shelton
Straylight 3
West Des Moines, IA
Jobe Skinner
Texas Bandit
San Angelo, TX
Bill Smith
Condor II
Storm Lake, IA
Cody Smith
Smith Story
Fort Worth, TX
Susan Stamats
Midnight Glory
Cedar Rapids, IA
Randy Stone
Dark Side of the Balloon
Indianola, IA
Dan Strutz
Dakota Racer
Yale, SD
Joseph Strutz
Wild Card
Brighton, MI
Luke Thompson
Step N Up
Pella, IA
Tyler Thompson
Marvel
Des Moines, IA
Ken Walter
WindRacer
Waukesha, WI
Zerk Welz
Guilty
Albuquerque, NM
Bruce Wood
OTTR
Carbondale, CO
Joe Zvada
Tearing at the Seams
Knoxville, TN
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