History of the Event
2024 is the 48th year the Great Pershing Balloon Derby has held Balloon Federation of America sanctioning.
This is the Longest Running Continuously Sanctioned Balloon Event in the Nation.
Plans are currently underway for the 49th GPBD Labor Day weekend 2025. Green Hills Ballooning Inc. would like to thank all sponsors, landowners, volunteers and spectators for helping make the Great Pershing Balloon Derby successful.
History of the Great Pershing Balloon Derby (GPBD)
The Pershing Memorial Development Association along with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) launched the GPBD competition as a way to raise funds for a Pershing Museum. This group later became the Pershing Balloon Federation (PBF) and sponsored the GPBD through its 7th year. Starting with the 8th GPBD and continuing through today, the event is sponsored by Green Hills Ballooning, Inc. The 1st GPBD was held September 30 - October 2, 1977. The event had 40 balloons and was held at the Pershing State Park. The 2nd GPBD was moved to Labor Day Weekend and started a tradition of balloons in Brookfield over Labor Day weekend which continues through today. The 3rd year the event attracted 70 balloons and saw the use of Observers for the first time. The GPBD was the first US event to use Observers whose purpose is to act as impartial judges to help make sure all of the competition rules are followed. The 4th, 5th and 6th events saw 60 - 80 balloons entered in the competition. The 7th GPBD was much smaller due to funding problems which caused it to be the last year the event was sponsored by the PBF.
Highlights
- In 2006 at the 30th GPBD, the event was recognized by the Balloon Federation of America (BFA) as the Longest Running Continuously Sanctioned Event in the Nation.
- In 2015, Green Hills Ballooning, Inc. and the GPBD hosted the BFA North Central Regional Championship for the fifth year in a row.
- In 2019, Green Hills Ballooning, Inc. was honored to be selected to host the US Women's National Championships in conjunction with the 43rd GPBD.
- In 2020, the 44th GPBD was held with some unpleasant but necessary changes made amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The Friday Night South Main Night Flame was cancelled along with the closing of the Myron Peacher Memorial Launch Field to spectators. With the closing of the Launch Field, there would not be any balloon glows over the weekend. Instead of flying over our Launch Field, our plan was to fly over the city of Brookfield every flight possible and we succeeded. We were one of just a few events in the Nation to be held that year.
- In 2021, Green Hills Ballooning, Inc. was honored to be selected once again to host the US Women's National Championships in conjunction with the 45th GPBD.
Great Pershing Balloon Derby (GPBD) Past Balloonmeisters
- 1st 1977 Don Caplan
- 2nd 1978 Nikki Caplan
- 3rd 1979 Frank Hoover
- 4th 1980 Greg Thompson
- 5th 1981 Greg Thompson
- 6th 1982 Paul Parker
- 7th 1983 David A. Stewart
- 8th 1984 Tom Sheppard
- 9th 1985 Tom Sheppard
- 10th 1986 Tom Sheppard
- 11th 1987 Karl Stephen
- 12th 1988 David Rapp
- 13th 1989 David Rapp
- 14th 1990 David Edmister
- 15th 1991 David Edmister
- 16th 1992 David Edmister
- 17th 1993 Gary King
- 18th1994 Gary King
- 19th 1995 Mark Enholm
- 20th 1996 Mark Enholm
- 21st 1997 Mark Enholm
- 22nd 1998 Jim Thompson
- 23rd 1999 Jim Thompson
- 24th 2000 Jim Thompson
- 25th 2001 David Edmister
- 26th 2002 Karin Riepe
- 27th 2003 Karin Riepe
- 28th 2004 Karin Riepe
- 29th 2005 Karin Riepe
- 30th 2006 Karin Riepe
- 31st 2007 Jim Christenson
- 32nd 2008 Karin Riepe
- 33rd 2009 Karin Riepe
- 34th 2010 Paul Petrehn
- 35th 2011 Paul Petrehn
- 36th 2012 Paul Petrehn
- 37th 2013 Paul Petrehn
- 38th 2014 Paul Petrehn
- 39th 2015 Jim Thompson
- 40th 2016 Jason Jones
- 41st 2017 Jason Jones
- 42nd 2018 Jason Jones
- 43rd 2019 Jason Jones
- 44th 2020 Jason Jones
- 45th 2021 Jason Jones
- 46th 2022 Jeremy Rubin
- 47th 2023 Aaron Foelske
- 48th 2024 Jason Jones