PETA urges BH&R replacement
As Wyoming rolls out its new license plates for 2025, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is urging state legislators to replace Wyoming’s iconic Bucking Horse and Rider (BH&R).
In a letter to Sen. President Ogden Driskill (R-01) and House Speaker Albert Sommers (R-20), PETA suggested alternative license plate designs and requested an amendment to Wyoming’s Statute Title 31 Motor Vehicles to allow Wyoming residents to make a choice and opt out of buying the “rodeo” license plate design.
Current law requires the BH&R logo on all of the state’s 19 license plate options, and PETA would like to make it “easier” for drivers to choose a different design.
PETA has been a major lobbyist against the sport of rodeo because it’s “cruel” to stock animals, and the group suggests Wyoming’s BH&R logo is a “rodeo-glorifying design” and therefore a promotion of animal cruelty.
“Animals are exploited in rodeos,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in a June 27 press release. “PETA is calling on Wyoming lawmakers to allow residents to reject this cruelty and celebrate what truly makes their state extraordinary, such as its thrilling Jurassic history or the wild horses who run free on its plains.”
According to the press release, PETA says it believes the bucking horse should “go the way of the dinosaurs” and suggests replacing the famous BH&R with a triceratops skull.
In the letter to legislators, PETA suggested other alternative license plate designs as well, such as replacing the old silhouette with one of a majestic wild horse. For individuals who want to continue promoting rodeos, the agency suggests a license plate “that accurately reflects exploiting animals for entertainment” with a silhouette of a bloody spur.
Most recently, PETA has started employing scare tactics following the news of highly pathogenic avian influenza infecting dairy cows by illustrating a gun-toting chicken urging people to go vegan before it’s too late.
According to thousands of Facebook posts on the topic, Wyomingites are standing strong in support of the Cowboy State and its honorable history and feel PETA should move on to harass another state.
However, this is not PETA’s first attempt to remove the state’s iconic symbol – the animal activist group tried in 2000 as well but was unsuccessful.
Wyoming residents are fiercely proud of the symbol, which has become an icon identifying Wyoming products, objects and people.
Iconic symbol
According to the secretary of state’s website, the iconic BH&R logo dates back to 1918 – possibly even earlier – and was used as an insignia worn by members of the Wyoming National Guard in France and Germany during World War I.
The website states, “The insignia has been used extensively by Wyoming units during out-of-state and overseas duty, including in Korea and Vietnam, and was a rallying point, a symbol of pride and a reminder of home – the great state of Wyoming – to our troops.”
Some believe the BH&R is representative of a legendary rodeo horse named Steamboat, dating back to the early 1900s.
Steamboat is one of the best-known bucking horses of all time and was recognized as “the horse that couldn’t be ridden.”
In 1935, Secretary of State Lester Hunt proposed legislation to make changes to the Wyoming license plate design to combat the problem of widespread counterfeiting of Wyoming’s license plate, and in 1936 Wyoming’s unique license plates depicting the BH&R made its debut.
During this same year, the state obtained a copyright for the mark, and between 1936 and 1995 the BH&R’s use by Wyomingites and the state of Wyoming was continuous and extensive.
It is such an important identifier for the state that in 1990 the Wyoming Centennial Commission used the mark for the Wyoming Centennial Celebration.
The BH&R is now on the state seal and is also the official logo for the University of Wyoming.
Wyoming’s rodeo history
Rodeo is deeply ingrained in Wyoming’s culture and heritage, earning the state its well-deserved nickname “The Cowboy State.”
The sport’s roots in Wyoming date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting the region’s strong ranching and cowboy traditions.
One of the most famous rodeos in Wyoming is Cheyenne Frontier Days, known as the “Daddy Of ’Em All” which was established in 1897.
Other notable rodeos in Wyoming include the Cody Stampede Rodeo, held every summer in Cody, and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo in Sheridan.
These events highlight the state’s commitment to preserving its cowboy culture and provide opportunities for both participants and visitors to experience the excitement and tradition of rodeo firsthand.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
