Photo Contest 2025
Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Cindy Petrehn Memorial Photo Contest!
Grand Prize Winner
John Roling
Faces of Fiesta Winners
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1st place
Jerry Johnson
2nd place
Wendy Hayes
3rd place
Matthew Sumpter
Mass Ascension Winners
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1st place
Julie Hamlin
2nd place
Jennifer Johnson
3rd place
Kasie Cochrane
Dawn Patrol/Balloon Glow Winners
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1st place
John Dominguez
2nd place
Cooper Hull
3rd place
Ruthe Grote
Special Shape Rodeo Winners
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1st place
Dan Farley
2nd place
Howie Pierson
3rd place
Susan Case
AfterGlow Fireworks Winners
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1st place
Jerry Johnson
2nd place
Wendy Hayes
3rd place
Wendy Hayes
Digital or AI Art
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Winner
Neal Halpern
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.
