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
2024 Pilots
Rob Bartholomew
Flametasia
Carlisle, IA
#1
Tyler Thompson
Marvel
Des Moines, IA
#2
Jeremy Rubin
Trilogy
Ankeny, IA
#5
Denny Anderson
Greenstate
Ankeny, IA
#6
Ron Nollen
Quatro
Hartland, WI
#7
Matt Fenster
RE/MAX
Bellevue, NE
#8
Jim Fromm
Ackworth, IA
#9
Ken Bolton
Sky Rider
Carlisle, IA
#10
Allen Anderson
Pixie Styx
Minden, NV
#11
Ken Walter
Kay’s Wind Dancer II
Waukesha, WI
#12
Michael Hadley
Pink Panther
Richland, IA
#13
Bill Griffin
Golden Griffin III
Carlisle, IA
#14
Dale Dommer
Midnight Masquerade
Deer Park, TX
#15
Chris Reinert
Sweetness
Alta, IA
#16
Chase Sanders
Black Ice
Norwalk, IA
#17
Jason Davis
Purple Haze
Milo, IA
#18
Adam Boden
Perfect Timing
Indianola, IA
#19
Gary Cass
Red Hot
Yuma, AZ
#20
Jamie Hohman
Out of the Blue
Olathe, KS
#21
Mark Harris
Sew Grateful
Denver, CO
#22
Christopher Cliver
Kubicek Racer
Nashville, TN
#23
Jason Jones
Red Dawn
Overland Park, KS
#25
Al Muir
B.O.B.
Houston, TX
#26
Scott Armstrong
Twisted Truth
Urbandale, IA
#27
James Gebhart
Training Wheels
Indianola, IA
#28
Benji Clemons
Leftturn
Norwalk, IA
#29
Garrett Hillary
Knot Anymore
Scales Mound, IL
#30
Cory Bloom
Cekmate
Indianola, IA
#31
Christine Bertsch
Champagne Supernova
Indianola, IA
#32
Gary Haynes
Racer Del Sol
Indianola, IA
#33
Amanda Brodbeck
Esmeralda
Dacono, CO
#34
Nick Donner
Blue Grass Rocket II
Louisville, KY
#35
Wynn Gustafson
Freedom Flight IV
Arden Hills, MN
#36
Bret Christian
ResurreXion
Indianola, IA
#37
Scott Edgerton
Sugar High
Indianola, IA
#38
Ken Draughn
Xtremely Contagious
Burlington, NC
#39
Pam Clemons
Fantasy
Boone, IA
#40
Robb Johnson
Joker’s Wild
Council Bluffs, IA
#41
Brad Craig
Cheetah
Carlisle, IA
#42
Mike Green
Horizon
Des Moines, IA
#43
Edward Gordon
Freedom Won
Austin, TX
#44
Aaron Gebhart
Double Trouble
Indianola, IA
#45
Tom Ricke
Another Pastime
Clive, IA
#46
Randy Stone
Heart’s Desire
Indianola, IA
#47
Matthew Grote
Jester Unwindz
Rio Ranchero, NM
#48
Branden Bloom
Royal Racer
Ackworth, IA
#49
Jack Nelson
Aerial51
Waukee, IA
#50
Bill Baker
Check Six
Longview, TX
#51
Harold Cliver
Kuby
Lewisville, TX
#52
Preston Gebhart
Dream On
Troy, MO
#53
Rob Nutting
KOA
Ackworth, IA
#54
Todd Isley
Thin Blue Line II
Carlisle, IA
#55
Bill Bussey
Yin Yang
Longview, TX
#56
Michael Oberman
Second Wind
Queen City, MO
#57
Aaron Foelske
The Hummingbird
New Lenox, IL
#58
Joe Seymour
Joyous Pleasures
Indianola, IA
#59
Joe Heartsill
Texas Racer
San Angelo, TX
#60
James McConnell
Under the Bigger Top
Indianola, IA
#61
Patrick Cloyd
Molon Labe
Indianola, IA
#62
Jeremy King
Happy Camper
Indianola, IA
#63
Craig Hunter
Living the Dream
Gretna, NE
#64
Jayson Barnhill
Southern Sunrise
Longview, TX
#65
Eric Martens
Hot Shot
Indianola, IA
#66
Leroy Clair
High Class Hottie
Carlisle, IA
#67
Steve Jones
Texas Magic
Gatesville, TX
#68
Michael Jones
Thunderbolt
Omaha, NE
#69
Lynn Huppert
Czech Up
Ellsworth, WI
#70
Lucas Heartsill
Balloon Force One
San Angelo, TX
#71
Richard Sabin
Sea Breeze
Henderson, TX
#72
Joey Strutz
Patches O’Houlihan
Brighton, MI
#73
Kellie Rocha
Skyjumper
Ottumwa, IA
#74
Landon Kohtz
Overblown
Hopkins, MI
#75
John Petrehn
Ultramagic Racer
Missouri City, TX
#76
Jeffrey Ashworth
Ar Na Sprioc!
Corrales, NM
#77
Rhett Heartsill
Silver Star
Fort Worth, TX
#78
Jason Loving
Duck Duck Goose
Ottumwa, IA
#79
Tim Cloyd
Son Light
Runnells, IA
#80
Andrew Mains
Eyeris
Bondurant, IA
#81
Zerek Welz
Guilty
Albuquerque, NM
#82
Holly Pfeifer
Cherry Bomb
Norwalk, IA
#83
Bill Smith
Condor II
Storm Lake, IA
#84
Kasey Schwemmer
Zenith
Wichita, KS
#85
Sandy Graf
American Racer
Henderson, TX
#86
Theo Hartman
That’s No Moon
Champaign, IL
#87
Andrew James
Spirit of Savannah
Savannah, MO
#88
Bob Shelton
Straylight
Indianola, IA
#89
Jon Shelton
Straylight III
West Des Moines, IA
#89
Todd Hastie
Yut 2 Hey
Fleming Island, FL
#90
Grant Pfeifer
With a Twist
Des Moines, IA
#91
Michael Swallow
Joint Custody
Ottumwa, IA
#92
Collin McClung
Freedom Breeze
Albuquerque, NM
#93
Benjamin Drennan
Champagne Problems
Cordele, GA
#94
Miranda Gebhart
Dream Duster
Indianola, IA
#95
John Parezo
Thunderbolt
Sioux Falls, SD
#96
Al Nels
Time Flies
Beavercreek, OH
#97
Darcy Hoch
Highly Contagious
Milo, IA
#98
Joe Zvada
Not Without Danger
McAllen, TX
#99
Al Appenzeller
Tied Together
Indianola, IA
#100
Angelica Haus
In a Wink of an Eye
Ankeny, IA
#101
Patrick Sullivan
Black Magic
Spencer, MA
#102
Jason Hartson
Eclipse
Pella, IA
#103
Bruce Wood
OTTR
Carbondale, CO
#104
Chase Donner
TBD
Plain City, OH
#105
Andrew Nels
Marvelous
Smyrna, GA
#106
Troy Ohnemus
DeLorean
Carlisle, IA
#107
Paul Petrehn
Enigma
Howell, MI
#108
Jim Phelan
Hollywood Nights
Lincoln, IL
#109
Jake Riehle
Full Throttle
Johnston, IA
#110
Susan Stamats
Midnight Glory
Cedar Rapids, IA
#111
Matt Riley
Spirit of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
#112
Jobe Skinner
Sunrise
San Angelo, TX
#113
Scott Allen
Under New Management
Overland Park, KS
#114
Luke Thompson
StepNUP
Pella, IA
#115
Alex Augustad
August Sky
Sioux Falls, SD
#116
Craig Foust
Merica
Marshall, TX
#117
Kim McCourt
Ginger
Merritt Island, FL
#118
Gary Ruble
Ord
Indianola, IA
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