Albuquerque Fiesta Holds Special Shapes Rodeo

Albuquerque’s International Balloon Fiesta held its Special Shapes Rodeo, featuring 117 specially designed balloons, including 13 new shapes from several countries and returning favorites such as Airabelle the cow, Zozobra and a red chile ristra. Wind can make the unusual balloons harder to handle, and flights depend on weather; evening Special Shape Glow-deo events were scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The fiesta also featured a Flight of the Nations mass ascension with pilots from 17 countries and the United States, and Jonathan Trappe was planned to make his first appearance there with a helium cluster of 94 balloons.