Great Texas Balloon Races

by Kathy White

Title

Great Texas Balloon Races

Artist

Kathy White

Medium

Photograph - Photography--greeting Cards Or Notes Are Cheaper By The Dozen!

Description

The "Great Texas Balloon Races" in Longview, Texas is a world class event attracting the very best competitive pilots from across the United States and the world. Considered by many of the pilots that compete at the Great Texas Balloon Race to be the best run event on the circuit, the Great Texas Balloon Race earned Longview the official designation as "The Balloon Capital of Texas" by the Governor of Texas in 1985. The Great Texas Balloon Race is a Balloon Federation of America event and was chosen to host the BFA's United States National Championship competition for 2012-2014. For those three years, the national competition will bring an additional three days of competition flights to the East Texas area. For the 2013 season, the event will take place during the week of July 22 through July 28, with the main attractions days being Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The event has refreshment and food booths, a safe area for children's Kids Land, arts and crafts vendor booths, and live entertainment concerts.
Dr. Bill Bussey, D.D.S., a world-record hot air balloon pilot, and local Longview dentist, was the main creator of the event. Along with other pilots, Dr. Bussey created an evening attraction designed to delight the crowds. Tethered balloons were illuminated setting off a spectacular display of light. This first-ever "balloon glow" became an instant success and is held both Friday and Saturday evenings. Whatever modifications have been made at balloon events around the world, you can know that this crowd-pleasing event began in Longview, Texas.
And it is definitely loved by all!
The most exciting race is known by pilots as the Controlled Navigational Trajectory Event. Better known to us as the "Ring Toss." Each pilot has only one chance in each race to "steer" their balloon toward a 12 inch ring atop a 20-foot pole.
It is such a beautiful sight to get up early and be there for the 6:30 a.m. fly in. The anticipation watching the graceful giant balloons come floating above the East Texas Regional Airport skies is very exciting. It is especially thrilling to see the Special Shapes Balloons. They are favored highly by the kids! They will see anything from a giant Purple People Eater, a Yellow and Black Bee to a Noah's Ark to a gigantic Stagecoach! There is definitely enough entertainment to keep you coming back year after year.

Uploaded

February 26th, 2013

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Viewed 157 Times  -  Last Visitor from Cambridge, MA on 04/19/2024 at 8:08 AM

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