Yellowstone's mid-season premiere dedicated to real-life loriner ...

WARNING: This article and video contains spoilers for Season 5 Episode 9 of Yellowstone, which premiered November 11 only on Stan.

For those who watched the mid-season premiere of Yellowstone on Monday, there was a few words that poignantly flashed up at the end: "In loving memory of Kelly Clapper".

It was a moving moment in what was a huge episode, and one that Klapper himself had made a cameo in.

The only place you can stream every episode of Yellowstone is on Stan.

The episode saw a scene when Rip, played by Cole Hauser, stopped by a loriner (a maker of bits, spurs and metal mountings for bridles and saddles) to purchase a horse bit for Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith).

Rip admired a set of spurs made by a single piece of metal, which were actually created by the late loriner. Klapper was well-regarded in the cowboy communities for his artistry.

Billy Klapper was a legendary loriner known across the world. Pictured in his Yellowstone cameo. (Stan)

The loriner featured in the scene was Klapper himself, who died on September 10 this year aged 87. 

During the episode, the official Yellowstone X (formerly known as Twitter) account wrote: "Billy Klapper is a LEGEND!"

Who was Billy Klapper?

Klapper died at the age of 87 after filming his guest appearance on Yellowstone.

In 1966, he made his first set of spurs – an added piece of metal that Cowboys wear on their boots while riding a horse – and learned most of his trade alongside famed spur maker Adolph Bayers.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2

Rip admired Klapper's work during the episode. (Stan)

The demand for his spurs grew, and he started making gear full-time in 1968.

Klapper was incredibly well known in the ranching and cowboying industry, and was one of the few bit and spur makers that still crafted one-piece spurs. He made 682 different spur patterns and 816 different bit patterns, and they are now collected worldwide.

In Pictures

He met his wife Roberta in Amarillo through friends and the two married in 1973. They were together until her death in 2021.

Klapper had two daughters and six grandchildren, as well as nine great-grandchildren.

In his obituary, it said: "Billy will be remembered as a good man, a friend to all, and 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."

In Yellowstone, Rip was gifted a pair of spurs by Klapper.

EXCLUSIVE: Luke Grimes admits his 'still processing' Yellowstone's shock ending

"We're almost out of legends, with none left to take their place," one of the 6666 cowboys told Rip.

Yellowstone's mid-season premiere stunned the nation last night, as the fate of Kevin Costner's John Dutton was finally revealed.

Read the recap here:

YELLOWSTONE SEASON 5 PART 2 EPISODE 9 RECAP: John Dutton's fate is finally revealed in gut-wrenching premiere

The only place you can stream every episode of Yellowstone is on Stan.

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