Legendary Cowboy And Longtime Horse Trainer Buster Welch Died At Age 94

Buster Welch, the legendary cowboy and longtime horse trainer, died on Sunday (June 12) at age 94. The death of the all-around riding icon came months after a new generation got to know him following his appearance on an episode of Yellowstone Season 4. 

Fans of the modern-day western series pretty sure remember him playing a part in Jimmy Hurdstrom’s detour from Montana to the famous 6666 Ranch in Texas in an episode called “Under a Blanket of Red.” Hurdstrom – played by actor Jefferson White – is a professional thief and drug dealer who became a ranch hand at Yellowstone Ranch.

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Welch, along with Barry Corbin, were the two men responsible for turning Hurdstrom into a bonafide cowboy. The two well-experienced cowboys help Hurdstrom go through the much-needed cowboy training he didn’t seem to learn much while at Yellowstone. 

“There are three Gods in Texas: the Almighty, Buster Welch, and George Strait. You just met one of them,” the foreman told Hurdstrom.

He Was A Legend Long Before His Yellowstone Cameo

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After Buster Welch‘s passing, Yellowstone took to social media to express its sorrow. 

“We’re saddened to hear of the passing of Buster Welch,” the show wrote in a post along with Welch’s photo. “You might recognize him from #YellowstoneTV season 4, but the horse trainer and cutting expert was a legend long before that. May he rest in peace.”

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Welch definitely took his love for horses to another level. At age 13, he had left home and got a job herding cattle and breaking horses – which became the groundwork that eventually made him a famous cutting horse trainer. By the time he was 18, Welch was already competing in various equestrian events and, later on, made a fabled career.

He’s a true legend through and through. May he rest in peace!