May 2000
maybeknownforits sprawling
fieldsof corn and plentyof hog farms, but
for balloonists, it shall always be known
asthe longtime home of theU.S.National
Championships,sponsoredby the Bal-
loon Federation of America.
Sixteenballoonistsparticipated inthe
1970 National Championships as part of
the annual state fair in Des Moines.
Beforethe actual race, pilots prac-
ticed south of the capital, in a small town
theywerestayingincalledIndianola,
accordingtoMaxineWeinman, curatorof
the National Balloon Museum there.
Thelocalsinvitedthe balloonistsback
the following year when Iowa balloonist
Don Kersten,the first president of the
BFA,hearda locationfor anationalcham-
pionship was needed. The U.S. National
Championships wereheldin Indianola
each year through 1988, when contracts
to movethechampionshipselsewhere
were entertained.
In the earlydays, more balloonsflew
at Simpson College in Indianola —276
one year alone—than at the Albuquerque
Fiesta, Weinman said.
“The Nationals coming to Indianola
andIowaintroduced ballooningtoawhole
new audienceanddeveloped a greatinter-
est in ballooning,” she said. “Ballooning
became a big thing for Iowans and we
soonhadmore and more pilotsin training
and balloons being flown in Iowa.”
Even though the National Champi-
onships are now held elsewhere, dozens
of balloons can still be seen filling the
skies over Indianola each summer at the
grew Simpson College and is now held
two miles east of Indianola on 155 acres
owned by the rally.
This year will be the 31st for a bal-
loon rally in Indianola.
“We’ve beenaroundlonger thanany-
body and we know how to treat the pi-
lots,”said Gerald Knoll, the classic’s ex-
ecutive director. “We try to go out of our
way to make Indianola your home away
from home.”
Partof thereasonisthelocalcommu-
nitymakes ita festive atmosphere. “It’sa
completepartyfortheentirecommu-
nity,” said Rita Fromm, president of the
Iowa Balloonist Association.
During one day of the festival, local
farmers and landowners are given free ad-
missionticketsand are treated to a supper,
completewithhomegrownsweetcorn. “It’s
theleastwecandobecausewesurecouldn’t
fly withoutthem,” Fromm said.
And many pilots enjoy returning to
the area for the reception the community
givesthem.“Wereally enjoythem,”
Weinman said. “It’s brought a lot of vis-
ibility to Indianola.Thepeopleenjoy
watching them andmeetingthe pilotsand
helping them. But they do miss the fact
thatwe don’tgetthe broadrangeof people
(from across the U.S.) that we used to.”
Many would like to see the national
championshipreturntoIndianola,but
Weinman said balloonists now “expect
more perks that our community has been
able to come up with. But there are some
people who enjoy it the way it is now,
Indianola has remained the home to
the BFA and the National Balloon Mu-
seum. Items for the museum began to be
displayed in 1975 during the champion-
ships—atthecollege,anemptyautomobile
dealership and in the BFA office build-
ing—buta permanentlocationwasopened
in1988,when thelastNationalChampion-
shipswere held there, Weinman said.
Balloonistsandenthusiastsfrom
acrossthe countryraised$750,000tobuild
a permanent museum. Officials hope to
raise another $200,000 to build an addi-
tion.Thereis nopaidstaff;about75
volunteers help keep the museum open
seven days a week with free admission,
althoughcontributionsare appreciated. A
gift shop that would make any balloon
collector drool also helps raise money to
keep it open.
Ofthe estimated50 to80activepilots
in the state, about 20 of them live in or
near Indianola. It’s not unusual to see 10
or 15 balloonsflying there on a nice day.
But there’smoreto ballooning in
Iowa than Indianola. About 20 miles to
the west, in Winterset, is the state’s only
balloon manufacturer. Phil Gray, owner
of National Ballooning Ltd.,has made
more than 100 National balloons since
1978; 26 of them are registered in Iowa.
“It’sabsolutelygorgeousflyinghere,”
Graysaid.WintersetisinMadisonCounty,
famous for its covered bridges. Just be
sure to take your uprightsoff if you drive
throughone onthe way backfrom a flight.
The majority of Iowa—92percent—
isagricultural; 11.8 million acres of corn
were harvested there in 1999.
Nearly 100,000 farms—with an av-
erage size of 340 acreseach—are respon-
sible formakingthestatethehighest
producers of corn, soybeans and pork in
the nation, and second in egg production.
“It used to be that every little farm-
stead would have some livestock,” said
RobBartholomew,aformernational
champion. “The small hog farms are go-
ingaway.They’renow justbigfarmswith
May 2000
Other thanthe massive fieldsof corn,
theruralnature of the state makesitpretty
conducive to ballooning. There are sev-
eralsmallballoonfestivalseach year, and
the competitive roots from Indianola still
show. Many of the races have sanctioned
flights if enough participants want them.
Events at rallies also include hula-hoop
tosses and bath tub races through downtown
StormLake,outhousetipping contests in Indi-
anola (pilots knocking over a cardboard out-
house wins $250) and parades which include
decorated chase vehicles.
“In the summertime,thereare nice
greenpastures,trees, andbeautifulter-
rain,”saidBartholomew,wholivesin
Carlisle, a small town next to Indianola
made famous by the birth of sextuplets.
“Certain parts of Iowa is pretty good
flying. But north of Des Moines, there are
a lot of crops,” he said.
Bartholomew, whooperates one of
three repair stations in the state, said the
flying season begins around May. Good
weather—although hot in the summer—
can be expected through August.
“Very seldom do you get becalmed,” he
said. “Morning flights most of the time are
very steerable. It’s realgood forcompetition.”
Even though most ofIowa is made up
of fields of some kind, Paul Schneider has
toplan carefully if he’s flying from his
home in Clinton, on theMississippi River.
The river is at its widest, about five miles,
there. Flights into Illinois aren’t uncom-
mon, but you’d better be able to cross the
river or else be towed by a boat.
“You have to be careful because the
wind currents will channel rightup the
river or down it, and you can’t get off it,”
Schneider said. “We’ve gotten stuck over
it both in the morning and evening.”
Bartholomew said there are no full-
time ride operators in Iowa, although sev-
eral people offer rides on the weekends.
They typically charge $300 a couple, he
said. “There aren’tmanybigballoons.
The average balloon size is a 7.”
Likemanyplaces,Iowahasseen
more balloonists in the past, but new pi-
lots are continuingthe traditions started
decades ago, including being watchful of
sensitive landing sites.
“Th in g sarep rett yg o od ,”
Bartholomew said. “Everybody’s got their
maps. We just stay clear of them. I can’t
thinkof anyproblemsthere havebeen
over the past few years.”
BalloonsOverIowa,about130familymembers,halfofthemcrew;monthly
meetingsorflights,socialpartiesincludingSt.Patrick’sDay,OdetoSpring,
Halloweenparty,groundschoolinFebruary. Duesare $15a yearper familyand
include a bimonthly newsletter, “Touch and Go.” Contact: 1900 Blue Place, Carlisle,
IA 50047. www.balloon.weather.net/boi.htm
Iowa Balloonist Association, about 60 members,mostly pilots, two meetings a year, one
during the Indianola rally,and the otherduring the annual safety seminar in early spring.
Annualduesare$20,includesamonthlynewsletter.Contact:1265S23Highway,
Ackworth, IA 50001. www.nationalballoonclassic.com/iba.htm
Events:
Balloons in June, in Clinton, fourth weekend in June, 12 balloons fly three fun flights,
Saturday morning through Sunday morning; Friday evening glowand dinner aboard
theMississippiBelle II gamblingboat. Contact:PaulSchneider, 2719N.4thSt.,
Clinton, IA 52732. 319-242-9174.
www.geocities.com/p_schnide/hot_air_ballooning.html
Ottumwa ProBalloonRace, 40 balloons, thirdweekendin June;Fridayglow,and
three competitionflights scheduled Saturday morning through Sunday morning for
cash prizes. Contact: Phil Gray,2004 W. Euclid, Indianola, IA50125. 515-961-6113.
US WEST NationalBalloonClassic,inIndianola,17flightsscheduledovernine
days, typically the last weekend in Julythrough the first weekend inAugust, up to
100balloons;competitionflightsinthe morning,funflightsintheeveningfora
$20,750 cash purse; $500 key grabs, four Nite-glo events; about 40,000 people attend
theevent,whichalsofeaturesaparadeincludingchasevehicles;fireworks,live
bands,antiquecarshows,artsandcrafts.Contact:P.O.Box346,Indianola,IA
50125. www.nationalballoonclassic.com
IowaWesternCommunityCollege Lighter ThanAirBalloonAffair,inCouncil
Bluffs,less than5 milesfromOmaha, third weekend inAugust, 25 balloonsglow
Friday, fly three flights Saturday morning through Sunday morning in fun competi-
tionoverhillycountrysidefor$700inprizesper flight;eventtoraisemoneyfor
scholarships. Rich Jaworski, 1633 Lafayette St., Blair, NE 68008. 402-426-2489.
Tanager Place Summerfest, in Amana, near Iowa City, last weekendin August, 35
balloons fly sanctioned competition; flights Saturday morning and evening, Sunday
morning; glow Friday evening in Cedar Rapids, 20 miles away; tethering. Part of a
larger festival asa fundraiser for a home for abusedchildren. Contact: Allen Yost,
P.O. Box942, Midlothian, IL 60445. 708-597-3631.
The Great Iowa Balloon Race, in Storm Lake, Labor Day Weekend, 50 balloons, fly
sixflightsinfuncompetitionfora$2,000purse,fromFridayafternoonthrough
Mondaymorning;nightglow;hula-hooptosscompetitionontosailboatmastfor
$100;tailgateparty,dance,bathtubracesthroughdowntown,paradeinvolving
decoratedchase vehicles. Contact:Randy Schliep,P.O. Box753, Storm Lake, IA
50588. 712-732-4552.
CrestonSouthwestIowaHotAirBalloonRace, thirdweekendinSeptember,50
balloonsflythreeflightsinsanctionedcompetition,Saturdaymorningthrough
Sunday morning, for $3,500 purse; parade includes chase vehicles. Contact: Creston
Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box471, Creston, IA 50801. 515-782-7021.
• Iowa City
Bluffs
• Des Moines
• Indianola
