The first episode of Yellowstone season five, part two concludes with a message that reads simply: "In Loving Memory of Billy Klapper."
Klapper was a real-life cowboy who features in a poignant cameo in the episode. When Rip (Cole Houser) is in Pampa, Texas, moving a cattle heard south, Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) tells him he had an horse bit order that needed to be picked up. Rip goes to secure it for him, and shares a scene with the real Billy Klapper. Rip sees Klapper's workshop where he makes spurs and bits, and learns Lloyd placed the order 15 years ago. Klapper, then, gifts Rip a pair of spurs. "I didn't know people made them like that anymore," Rip says, to which the craftsman replies, "I think there might be a few, but very few."
After Rip leaves Klapper's shop, he reflects on the visit upon his arrival at the 6666 ranch. New character Dusty (Dusty Burson) tells Rip, "When he's gone, we're all out of legends. With nobody trying to be the next one."
After the episode aired, Yellowstone's official social media accounts posted, "Billy Klapper is a LEGEND!"
Sadly, Billy Klapper passed away on September 10, 2024 at age 87. He was survived by his two daughters, four stepchildren, six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 48 years, Roberta. "Billy and Roberta enjoyed participating in the Pony Express Races, watching horse races, and going to bit and spur shows all over the state," his obituary notes. "He also enjoyed hunting, especially elk, mule deer, and aoudad. Billy will be remembered as a good man, a friend to all, and a most of all a true cowboy. He is going to be deeply missed by his family and friends. Billy put the 'western' in western heritage for years and now he is a part of the heritage."
Born in Lazare, Texas in 1937, he was always interested in horses. "I was wanting a horse, and Daddy bought me a dang donkey. That’s what I was riding when I lost that rowel on those spurs," Billy told Western Horseman in an interview in 2018.
After high school, he worked at Buckle L Ranch in Childress; two years later, he was working at the Y Ranch in Paducah. During a particularly cold winter, he started learning how to make spurs. Billy then spent time with the famous bit and spur maker, Adolph Bayers. "I never would ask him questions about spurs. I just caught him at different stages in his spur-making. While I was talking, I was studying that spur in the same time," Billy recalled.
Billy then started making the career transition from cowboy to spurmaker. "I may have to work a little harder at this, but I thought I could make more money and stay warm in the wintertime. I liked to cowboy, but there’s no money in it, and I had a family. It’s just living from one paycheck to another," he said.
"Adolph Bayers was absolutely the greatest ever, in my opinion," collector and author J. Martin Basinger said. "Bill Klapper is right there with Adolph Bayers. There will be no more bit-and spurmakers like them. I know that’s a pretty big statement to make, but I’ve seen so many others who don’t use the same [blacksmithing] methods. I think Bill Klapper and Adolph Bayers are the end of really great spurmakers that just get a piece of steel and hammer it out, and turn out a great product."
As his obituary notes, "demand for Billy’s spurs grew, and he started making gear full-time in 1968. He was well known in the ranching and cowboying industry and was one of the few bit and spur makers that still made one-piece spurs." The obit adds, "Billy’s bits and spurs are now collected worldwide. He made 682 different spur patterns and 816 different bit patterns. His patterns have been used by bit and spur makers but have never been duplicated. Billy created his legacy and changed the cutting horse industry by listening to what the cowboys wanted and making functional bits for their horses. "
Emily Burack
Senior News Editor
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.