Balloons Over waikato 2016

[Peter Lewis]

The first day, Wednesday was rather a white-out, with good old Hamilton fog keeping all of the balloons ground-bound.

However today gave us perfect conditions, and all of the entrants were able to fly.

This years 'special shapes' were:

From Belgium, OO-BRF - "F1 Racer"
Cameron Racing Car 110 - c/n 10799 - built in 2006.
Was registered in the UK as G-CDSP for a testflight. After this the balloon was transfered to Australia and registered as VH-FGP. Sold to Belgium in 2010.



and three visitors from the USA:

N518NR "Princess carriage"
Richardson Carriage c/n 003 built in 2014



N942EG "Tyrannosaurus Rex" (aka "Baby Dino")
Ricardo de Almeida SS27DN c/n 014/149



N629PN "Pea-Nut Elephant"
Rvb Baloes Ss-25-el c/n MAB 2012126
Sponsored by Resene paints



(Two consecutive 4am starts have confirmed my opinion that I am not cut out to be a dairy farmer!)

[Dave Homewood]

Great photos, and great balloons.

Did Lewis Hamilton get to have a spin in the F1 car I wonder?

[Peter Lewis]

There are three other overseas visirs also competing, all from Australia.

Kavanagh D-84 VH-FRE has been a fairly frequent visitor to this event over the years



and Cameron N-105 VH-EZB has also competed in at least one previous BOW



Seacam 65K VH-OLP is, I think, a first time visitor.
The local avian population didn't seem to like this one, and practiced their balloon straffing technique.

[Peter Lewis]

There was also a good turnout of the local balloon population - but sadly none from the South Island.

First away at one minute after the 7.30 am start was the very local Cameron O-90 ZK-RYB of the Waikato Hot Air Balloon Club



closely followed by the Te Awamutu-based Kavanagh D-90 ZK-PEA



The Strata 73-12 ZK-CAF/2 has also been based in Hamilton since its arrival in 2008

[Dave Homewood]

I went to the night glow last night, a last minute decision to go. Not nearly as good as the one I attended a few years back. The live music was appallingly bad. I queued for just over 70 minutes to get some hotdogs and chips for my sisters and I, and then they cancelled the big glow due to about 8 minutes of very light rain. I came away thinking it was far more hassle than it's worth. Summed up in one word, meh.

[Peter Lewis]

Which is why I went to one or two night-glows long ago, and now don't bother.

I'd much sooner see the balloons in the air where they belong. If I want to see chinese lanterns I'll go to chinatown.

[Kereru]

Couple I took on Friday morning.





Most of the crowd had gone when the racing car did a short drive to the paddock next door.


Cheers,
Colin

[Dave Homewood]

Great shots Peter and Colin!

[oj]

The first balloon fest in Hamilton was held at Beetham Park, Ulster St (now rugby practice grounds between the stadium and the golf driving range).
We lived in Darley Street then, about 300 metres away, so an easy walk.
The night glow was good fun, but I agree, you don't need to see it more than once.
The venue was too small to accommodate the increasing volume of balloons for successive fests, so they moved to Claudelands showgrounds.

Beetham Park was named after Bruce Beetham, former Mayor of Hamilton (and Social Credit MP) and used to be the Hamilton city dump in the late 1960's.
Muldoon was always ready to put down any opposition MP at the least pretext and said that Bruce Beetham's only claim to fame was having a rubbish-dump named after him.

[Peter Lewis]

Cameron N-105 ZK-FBB/2 from distant Hawera chose a low-level departure



while local Boland Rover ZK-WHS got caught up in the traffic



The Kubícek BB22Z ZK-FRG/2 has lived in the Waikato district since arriving new in 2009

[Peter Lewis]

Moving on down through the field, the Kubjcek BB60Z ZK-UPP/2 of the Hamilton-based Kiwi Balloon Company has over the years been a regular competitor in these events



The Boland Phoenix ZK-PHX, also Hamilton based, is one of the surprisingly substantial number of hot air balloons that are listed to female owners. Great to see.



However, the Ultamagic S-50 ZK-PMS probably fares better under masculine ownership

[Peter Lewis]

The final two to get away were Cameron V-77 ZK-TEA/2
(I stll envisage ZK-TEA as a TEAL Electra)



and Kavanagh C-77 ZK-RYZ.

Both of these balloons are Hamilton-based.



All the above action took place within 15 minutes from the off.

Ballooning is suposed to be a relaxing sport, but it was all cut-and-thrust here!

[Peter Lewis]

Finally, after the last of the competitors had departed, Kavanagh D-90 ZK-MIZ "Miz Waikato" was inflated and remained on the ground (at least while I was there) as a 'static' exhibit



Throughout the event the time-expired envelope of Thunder & Colt AX7-77 ZK-PGT was cold semi-inflated and used as a walk-through exhibit, a popular fund-raiser for the local Lions Club



That's it folks.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for showing what I missed.

[camtech]

Besides the funds from the walk through PGT, Lions also run raffles, sell merchandise and provide the "soft" security for the festival. We have done so for 4 years, raising funds for the Cancer Society Lions Lodge in Hamilton, and other similar causes. Next year Rotary take over as the "Charity of Choice", but will be supported by Lions.

[camtech]

Besides the funds from the walk through PGT, Lions also run raffles, sell merchandise and provide the "soft" security for the festival. We have done so for 4 years, raising funds for the Cancer Society Lions Lodge in Hamilton, and other similar causes. Next year Rotary take over as the "Charity of Choice", but will be supported by Lions.