(Above The) Ground Beef: Rio Rancho native captains new NMBC balloon at '25 Fiesta

ALBUQUERQUE — “Where’s The Beef?”

Well, it’s in the sky.

The New Mexico Beef Council, behind a Rio Rancho native and third-generation pilot, made its Balloon Fiesta debut last week in the 53rd edition of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

The “BEEF” Balloon joined the likes of Yoda, the Tasmanian Devil and Mickey Mouse in the Albuquerque sky, with the NMBC’s aircraft even being chosen as the “Balloon of the Day” for the Oct. 5 Mass Ascension.

“We couldn’t ask for a better week. It’s been incredible,” New Mexico Beef Council Executive Director Carollann Romo said. “The BEEF Balloon has been like a beacon for ranchers and beef lovers to come meet us on the field. We’ve been passing out pins and cards, meeting ranchers, and it’s been really fun. We couldn’t imagine a better way to do it.”

The New Mexico Beef Council represents ranchers here in the Land of Enchantment. A portion of every sale of a beef animal in the state goes to the council and their three efforts: promotion, education and research.

The BEEF Balloon was inspired by the promotion aspect of their three branches, so what better way to promote in New Mexico than with a hot air balloon?

Despite being marketed toward ranchers and meat lovers, the “a-ha” moment for the council did not come out on the ranch.

It came during a brainstorm at a … gymnastics facility?

“We were sitting in gymnastics,” Romo said. “Trent and Taylor (Caldwell), and then my husband and I, we all have daughters who are in gymnastics, and we were sitting there asking about balloons. Last fall, we were asking about balloons, and this fall we’re flying balloons.”

This is the BEEF Balloon’s first year of flying, but for pilot Trenten Caldwell, he has been flying in balloons since before he could even legally drive a car.

“My family has been involved with Balloon Fiesta and crewing for other balloons since about 1976,” Caldwell said. “I had my first flight when I was 13 years old, and ever since that first flight, I’ve been completely sold. I always knew that I wanted to be a pilot, and now it has just gone to the next level, and we have been flying out here in New Mexico since I started my flying career.”

Caldwell, out of Rio Rancho, worked his way up as a teenager before earning his commercial pilot license at the age of 20. But even with hundreds of flights under his belt, the weight of the moment on that “Balloon of the Day” morning still left an impact on the frequent flyer.

“As the pilot, it was completely breathtaking. I’ve never done any flight like that,” Caldwell said. “I’ve personally never gotten to carry a flag out of the field before, and that was one of the most breathtaking things that I’ve ever done in a flight, just seeing the crowd below and the all-burner glow after, and the cheer for the United States. As a whole, it was just completely breathtaking.”

With their debut week at the Fiesta coming to a close, Romo and Caldwell hope it is just the beginning of a beef mainstay at Albuquerque’s biggest tradition.

“We’ve had a great time. We just think it’s (ranching) such an important part of our state,” Romo said. “We can’t wait to come back next year.”