National Balloon Classic
2024 Champion:
#35 – Nick Donner
Blue Grass Rocket II
Louisville, KY
#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.
2024 North Central Regional Championship
1st Place
Brad Craig
Cheetah
Carlisle, IA
#42
2nd Place
Branden Bloom
Royal Racer
Ackworth, IA
#49
3rd Place
Cory Bloom
Cekmate
Indianola, IA
#31
2024 BFA Iowa State Championship
1st Place
Brad Craig
Cheetah
Carlisle, IA
#42
2nd Place
Cory Bloom
Cekmate
Indianola, IA
#31
3rd Place
Branden Bloom
Royal Racer
Ackworth, IA
#49
2025 Pilots
Blake Aldridge
Silver Bullet
Kyle, TX
Scott Allen
Tetris
Overland Park, KS
Allen Anderson
Pixie Styx
Minden, NV
Dennis Anderson
GreenState
Ankeny, IA
Al Appenzeller
Tied Together
Indianola, IA
Scott Armstrong
Twisted Truth
Urbandale, IA
Alex Augustad
August Sky
Sioux Falls, SD
Bill Baker
Check Six
Longview, TX
Dominic Bareford
Bubballoon
Oswestry, Shropshire, UK
Christine Bertsch
Champagne Supernova
Indianola, IA
Branden Bloom
Royal Racer
Ackworth, IA
Cory Bloom
Cekmate
Indianola, IA
Adam Boden
Perfect Timing
Indianola, IA
Ken Bolton
Air Forge
Carlisle, IA
Dylan Bradley
High Life
Winchester, CA
Bill Bussey
Yin Yang
Longview, TX
Gary Cass
Red Hot
Yuma, AZ
Bret Christian
ResurreXion
Indianola, IA
Leroy Clair
High Class Hottie
Carlisle, IA
Benji Clemons
Leftturn
Norwalk, IA
Pam Clemons
Kahwoka
Boone, IA
Christopher Cliver
Kubicek Racer
Nashville, TN
Harold Cliver
Rendition
Lewisville, TX
Patrick Cloyd
Molon Labe
Indianola, IA
Tim Cloyd
Son Light
Runnells, IA
Jordan Cox
Tallulah
Indianapolis, IN
Brad Craig
Cheetah
Carlisle, IA
Jason Davis
Purple Haze
Milo, IA
Dale Dommer
Midnight Masquerade
Deer Park, TX
Chase Donner
TBD Too
Plain City, OH
Nick Donner
Blue Grass Rocket II
Atlanta, GA
Cody Dorgan
Borrowed
Blue Grass, IA
Ken Draughn
Xtremely Contagious
Burlington, NC
Scott Edgerton
2 Heavens Delight
Indianola, IA
Matt Fenster
RE/MAX
Bellevue, NE
Aaron Foelske
The Hummingbird
New Lenox, IL
Jim Fromm
Ackworth, IA
Yudai Fujita
Kodachrome
Tochigi, Japan
Aaron Gebhart
StepNUp
Indianola, IA
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
Theo Hartman
Supercluster
Champaign, IL
Jason Hartson
Eclipse
Pella, IA
Todd Hastie
Yutta 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
Rhett Heartsill
Silver Star
Fort Worth, TX
Brandon Heavin
MissBHeavin
Drury, MO
Gary Heavin
Almost Heaven
Gatesville, TX
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
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
Steve Jones
Texas Magic
Gatesville, TX
Jeremy King
Happy Camper
Indianola, IA
Landon Kohtz
Heatwave
Hopkins, MI
Ben Leatherman
Timeless
Coldwater, MI
Jason Loving
Duck Duck Goose
Ottumwa, IA
Eric Martens
HotShot
Indianola, IA
Collin McClung
Freedom Breeze
Longview, TX
Allan Muir
B.O.B.
Houston, TX
Bryan Nauman
Horizon
Adel, IA
Russell Nauman
Sky Ryder
Des Moines, IA
Al Nels
Time Flies
Beavercreek, OH
Andrew Nels
Marvelous
Smyrna, GA
Jack Nelson
Aerial51
Waukee, IA
Ron Nollen
Last Lap
Hartland, WI
Rob Nutting
Kubi
Ackworth, IA
Michael Oberman
Second Wind
Queen City, MO
Troy Ohnemus
DeLorean
Carlisle, IA
Landon Olson
Reach For The Stars
Indianola, IA
John Parezo
Midnight Drifter
Sioux Falls, SD
John Petrehn
Ultramagic Racer
Missouri City, TX
Paul Petrehn
Enigma
Howell, MI
Grant Pfeifer
With A Twist
Des Moines, IA
Holly Pfeifer
Cherry Bomb
Norwalk, IA
Jim Phelan
BluE’neff
Lincoln, IL
Zachary Prickett
Got Lucky
Hartford, IA
Jon Radowski
Ropin’ the Wind
Phoenix, AZ
Chris Reinert
Break Free
Alta, IA
Keegan Render
VTL
Indianola, IA
Tom Ricke
Another Pastime
Clive, IA
Jacob Riehle
Full Throttle
Johnston, IA
Matt Riley
Spirit of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Kellie Rocha
Sky Jumper
Ottumwa, IA
Jeremy Rubin
Trilogy
Ankeny, IA
Gary Ruble
Kahwoka
Indianola, IA
Richard Sabin
Night Breeze
Henderson, TX
Chase Sanders
Black Ice
Norwalk, IA
Kasey Schwemmer
Zenith
Wichita, KS
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
Randy Stone
Dark Side of the Balloon
Indianola, IA
Dan Strutz
Ruthie’s Delight
Yale, SD
Joseph Strutz
Wild Card
Brighton, MI
Patrick Sullivan
Air Bender
Millbury, MA
Mike Swallow
Joint Custody
Ottumwa, IA
Luke Thompson
Dream Duster
Pella, IA
Tyler Thompson
Marvel
Des Moines, IA
Carolanne Walter
Happyanunoit
Lynnwood, WA
Ken Walter
Kay’s WindDancer II
Waukesha, WI
Zerk Welz
Guilty
Albuquerque, NM
Eric Wiggins
Calypso
Longview, TX
Andrew Williams
Super Fly
Galena, IL
Bruce Wood
OTTR
Carbondale, CO
Joe Zvada
Fake Empire
McAllen, TX
