California Tried To Sabotage Wyoming’s Bucking Horse & Rider Logo
Can you think of any US state with a cooler, more iconic logo than Wyoming?
The bucking horse and rider is legendary. When you see it, you think Wyoming. Your Wyoming pride bursts out of your soul. Everywhere you look in this state, you see the iconic logo.
According to the Wyoming Secretary of State website:
The State of Wyoming's first use of the Bucking Horse and Rider (BH&R) mark dates back to 1918, perhaps earlier. The BH&R was used as an insignia worn by members of the Wyoming National Guard in France and Germany during World War I. The insignia for the uniforms was originally designed by First Sergeant George N. Ostrom of E Battery, 3rd Battalion, 148th Field Artillery Regiment, AEF. The insignia was officially adopted by the United States Army and used as a means of identification on gun trails, trucks, helmets and other equipment.
You can see the logo almost anywhere. Vehicle license plates, T-shirts, hats, flags, and company logos statewide. That was almost not the case, though.
For a brief period in the 1990s, the logo that means so much to Wyoming and Wyomingites across the state was in jeopardy of belonging to someone else, thanks to a greedy company in Beverly Hills, California. The company tried to federally register the Bucking Horse and Rider trademark.
Thankfully, Wyoming, in true Wyoming fashion, fought hard to keep the trademark and successfully battled to keep the logo a Wyoming tradition.
Because of that attempt, a licensing cooperative program now prevents attempts like that today. The State of Wyoming authorized the University of Wyoming to act as the official licensing agent for commercial use of the logo.
If you're wondering, yes, you can use the logo on t-shirts, hats, and other items you'd like, but there's a catch. If you're using the items commercially, you must obtain a license from the University.
All new Organizational Use licensees will pay a $250.00 Licensing Fee to use the famous Bucking Horse & Rider (BH&R). The Licensing Fee covers a two-year licensing term with a renewal date of June 30. All existing Organizational Use Agreements will be subject to the new $250.00 Licensing Fee when contracts renew – starting with contracts that are up for renewal June 30, 2022. All new applicants will pay $250.00 no matter when the application is received during the calendar year.
General requirements for using the logo:
- Use of the BH&R mark under a BH&R Organizational Use Agreement is limited to use by organizations that have a physical presence in the state of Wyoming and conduct business in, or provide services that originate in, Wyoming.
- The BH&R mark may only be used in the advertising of the organization’s business conducted in the state of Wyoming and for services originating in the state of Wyoming.
- The manner and style in which an organization uses the BH&R mark must be consistent and approved by the TLO before use.
To find out more about using the legendary Bucking Horse & Rider Logo, you can visit GOWYO.COM to get all of the information and an application.
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Gallery Credit: University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center