Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally Cancelled

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Organizers have officially cancelled a rally of balloonists in the Mesilla Valley set for next month but some enthusiasts are likely to make the trip to Las Cruces anyway.

The Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally has been a fixture of the area since 1982 but has struggled in recent years.

Longtime rally volunteer Joan Smith says the group could not recruit enough sponsors to run the event. But Smith says pilots will still get together for a "non-rally rally."

The rally was founded in 1982 as part of The Whole Enchilada Fiesta and officially became the Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally in 1988.

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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.