$1 Million Requested for Logo Fight

Cheyenne, WY – The Secretary of State is asking for $1 Million to protect the state's bucking horse trademark. A non profit group from Texas wants the sole rights to the logo. Secretary Joe Meyer made his request to the legislature's appropriation's committee. He says the state has walked lightly in this legal fight so far but must now carry a big stick because the situation has escalated. Meyer says they recently met with the state's copyright attorneys and were told there's a risk of prolonged litigation over a number of years. He says that's unacceptable because Wyoming is marketing the bucking horse logo quite effectively right now. The Deputy Secretary of State says the group Texas Stampede has used the trademark since 2002 and they say Wyoming abandoned the logo. She says the state did offer to let the group use the trademark, but they want to own it.