LUBBOCK, Texas — The Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company of Guthrie sued the Pitchfork Ranch, LLC, of Meeteetse, Wyoming for trademark infringement. The lawsuit was filed Friday in Lubbock federal court.
Pitchfork Land claimed Pitchfork Ranch engaged in unfair competition and counterfeiting. The Texas-based Pitchfork company also claimed the Wyoming-based company engaged in the wrongful sale of goods and services such as ranching, livestock, beef, recreation and clothing.
The Texas company said the Wyoming company had identical or similar items for sale while also having “substantially indistinguishable marks.”
The Pitchfork Land company filed evidence in the lawsuit that its trademark was first used in 1883 and has been properly on file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2010. The mark was used on the internet since 1998, the Texas company said.
By contrast, the lawsuit said the Wyoming company switched from local and geographically limited use of the mark to nationwide use starting in 2022.
The Pitchfork Ranch has not yet filed its side of the story in court records. Check back for updates.
