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Dave Martin's Fly-By-Night Crew Rodeo Workers Local #169  |
 The "Flying Bull Logo" came into existence back in the early '80s.
Due to a lawsuit, Dave was forced to use a lot of old equipment and leased or borrowed stock. One of his competitors in the rodeo business called Dave and his crew a "fly-by-night" outfit. Being good cowboys, they
turned that "slam" into a joke, which later became the name of a fictitious rodeo workers union, the Fly By Night Rodeo Workers Union #169.
Dave further refined the new concept into his now famous logo. The bull in the logo is Johnny Angel. Three-time Bull of the Year! Johnny was so revered by the bullriders that he was voted "Bull of the Year" . . . even after his death! |
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REMEMBERING DAVE RIVERA By Dave Martin |
 David Rene Rivera1981 - 2001 Via con dios, Vaquero! |
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When I met Dave Rivera we were in need of some exhibition riders for Bruce Springsteen's Father's Day Party in 2000. He competed in Bronc riding and bullriding and volunteered to go. Dave was always up for anything and for the most part had no fear of competing in bull poker, wild cow milking, and bull hockey with unquenchable exuberance. Many times he competed while suffering from injuries, but didn't complain. The voice mail message on his cell phone was "Life is like a rodeo, if you get bucked off, you gotta get back on -- this is Dave leave me a message". Dave came to the states from Guatemala as an infant and was adopted by a loving Mennonite family northeast of Harrisburg. He competed in Mexican rodeos and also some anti-drug rodeo exhibitions for school children in New York City. He seeemed to be proud to be Guatemalan. During the last few weeks of his life Dave competed in APRA rodeos. What a thrill it was for him to win money in the Shartlesville rodeo close to his hometown. |
When not on the rodeo trail Dave volunteered his time as a fireman. Many of the local folks knew him from the firehouse. Dave became a Christian and sometimes led a group of bullriders in prayer, but never had a holier than thou attitude. Dave received a severe injury from a bullriding accident. While in the hospital he required four hundred fifty pints of blood and fought a good fight for six days. Donating blood in memory of this courageous young man would be a great memorial. Dave Rivera left this planet on July 19, 2001, the same date that two other great bullriders, Mike Burger and my son Jesse Martin, went to be with the Lord in 1997. Dave was a bullrider, firefighter, friend, employee, and a great role model. We can all take a lesson from this young man's time here with us. He will be missed. 
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