Photo Contest 2024

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Watching a balloon inflate

Congratulations to the winners of the
2024 Cindy Petrehn Memorial Photo Contest

Grand Prize Winner

1st Place
Adam Newman

Faces of Fiesta Winners

Click each thumbnail to see a greater detail photo

1st place
Dylan McMains

High 5

2nd place
Carollan Romo

Woman with child on her shoulders

3rd place
Stephen Jaffe

Making it glow

Mass Ascension Winners

1st place
Lynn Judkins

Mass ascension

2nd place
Natalie Clark

Mass ascension

3rd place
Derrick Kosea

Mass ascension

Dawn Patrol/Balloon Glow Winners

1st place
Dorothy Klusek

Balloon glow

2nd place
Melissa Johnson

Balloon glow

3rd place
Jenny Hamilton

Balloon glow

Special Shape Rodeo Winners

1st place
Kathleen Hademann

Clown balloon

2nd place
Wendy Hayes

Cow, Taz, and frog balloons

3rd place
Benny Hoy

Spedcial shape balloons

AfterGlow Fireworks Winners

1st place
Laura Hedien

Fireworks

2nd place
Jenny Hamilton

Fireworks

3rd place
Jenny Hamilton

Fireworks

Digital or AI Art

Digital balloon art

Winner
Tom Wilson

About Cindy Petrehn

Cindy Petrehn was born in Clinton, Iowa, and grew up surrounded by her sister and nine brothers in Kansas City. Cindy obtained a fine arts degree at Pittsburg State University and it was there her passion for photography began. To her, photography was “capturing the light in a moment of time and space. We may never pass this way again … or so the song goes. It is a passion and an obsession.”

In 1978, Cindy moved to Vail, Colorado and spent many years capturing intriguing images of people, events, nature and anything that caught her creative eye. She climbed mountains and traveled the world to find her next great shot.

Cindy was also licensed hot air balloon pilot, the official photographer for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and a member of Women in Aviation and The Balloon Federation of America. Cindy was a beloved member and integral part of the Hot Air Ballooning community.

Through her photography, Cindy shared the beauty of the world, ballooning and the open skies with all. Cindy passed away on February 10, 2013 unexpectedly. She has finally found the great adventure she has been searching for and is in the most beautiful hot air balloon, taking the most amazing photographs.

Cindy Petrehn