CELEBRATING 50 YEARS The Women of Balloon Fiesta By Charlotte Kinney and Kim Vesely, for the AIBF Heritage Committee ince the beginning of Balloon Fiesta there Clara (Jenny) Van Tassel thrilled spectators with feats have been hundreds of women, mostly of stratospheric skill. Female balloonist/scientists were behind the scenes, who have helped ensure also at the forefront of atmospheric research in the 20th a successful and memorable event. Two of Century: Jeanette Piccard’s high altitude flights set the first three Presidents of Albuquerque records that lasted for decades; and inventor, adventurer, International Balloon Fiesta®, Inc., the non- and kinetic artist Vera Simons commanded teams of S profit corporation that runs the men while conducting research. In event, were both women: Betty the latter half of the last century Perkins and Sheri Bachtell and the first decades of the current Moore. The first two Executive one, a new generation of female Directors, Linda Rutherford pilots continue to achieve “firsts” and Marge Ruppenthal, were and break boundaries of their own. female, as was Pat Brake, Many of these – Nikki Caplan, the first staff Event Director. Carol Rymer Davis, Jetta Schantz, There have been five female to mention just a few – have flown balloonmeisters (the lead in the Balloon Fiesta. official in charge of flight Men piloted the earliest balloon operations): Pat Brake, Neida flights in New Mexico, beginning Courtney, Neida Courtney- with Park Van Tassel’s flight from Bueno, Charlotte Kinney, downtown Albuquerque in 1883 and Cheryl Lété (now Frost). and the exploits of Stamm and Except for Betty Perkins, all of Blondin in the first decade of the these women are themselves 1900s. After their last gas balloon balloon pilots and flew – as flight in 1909, ballooning didn’t have hundreds of other women, Above: Scientist-artist-aeronaut Vera Simons return to the state until the late including the authors of this and her crew. 1960s, and to Albuquerque until article – in the Balloon Fiesta. Sid Cutter acquired his balloon in While ballooning has always been a male-dominated 1971. After that, it didn’t take long for the ladies – many sport, both internationally and in Albuquerque, female of them the spouses of male balloonists – to figure out aeronauts have always captured the public’s imagination. that women are just as capable of flying balloons as men: The first woman took flight less than a year after the the wind and weather don’t care what gender you are. first men, and brave women such as Jeanne-Genevieve It is believed that pioneering New Mexico aviatrix Labrosse Garnerin, Sophie Blanchard, and (in America) Virginia Cutter, Sid and Bill Cutter's mom, held the first ® 112 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta