Who is Billy Klapper? Statement of Tribute to the Dedication of Yellowstone

Yellowstone has returned to Paramount+ to launch its final season, and the premiere included a dedication to Billy Klapper.

The return of the Taylor Sheridan-created series was fraught with controversy due to the absence of lead actor Kevin Costner, who left the series amid rumors of behind-the-scenes tensions to focus on his passion project, the film series horizon.

In the first episode of season five, there is a scene in which Rip, played by Cole Hauser, stops by a Loriner to buy a horse bit for Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith).

While in the Loriner, Rip admires an impeccably crafted set of spurs made from a single piece of metal. The spurs were actually created by the late Loriner Billy Klapper, who was highly respected in the cowboy and ranching community for his artistry.

The Loriner shown in the scene is none other than Klapper himself, who died at the beginning of the year on September 10th at the age of 87. During the episode the officer Yellowstone The X/Twitter account wrote: “Billy Klapper is a LEGEND!”

Klapper began making spurs back in 1966 after being trained by Adolph Bayers, a famous spur maker, while working as a ranch hand. His craftsmanship and objects were soon in demand and he eventually took up the profession full time.

Klapper, a Pampa native, began working at the Buckle L Ranch in Childress and later at the Y Ranch in Paducah.

He married his wife Roberta in 1973 and the couple remained together until her death in 2021.

His obituary said: “Billy will be remembered as a good man, a friend to all and, above all, a true cowboy. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Billy has been making the Western part of the Western heritage for years and now it’s part of the heritage.”

Before his death, in an interview with Western rider In the magazine Klapper admitted: “It got to a point where I had so many orders that I had to give up [making bits and spurs] or stop cowboying, either.

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“I might have to work a little harder at it, but I thought I could make more money and stay warm in the winter. I liked being a cowboy, but there was no money in it and I had a family. It’s just about living paycheck to paycheck.”