Rodeo Roots and Ranch Skills: 10 Best Yellowstone Franchise Cowboys and Cowgirls

Ranch work and realism

The Dutton Ranch anchors the Yellowstone franchise. Its staff includes many cowboys, though only a small number earn the ranch’s brand, a mark of trust. The shows emphasize the hard conditions of ranch work rather than presenting cowboy life as purely romantic. Casting real cowboys for some ranch-hand roles has also helped actors appear at ease with riding, rodeo and stunts.

Ethan earns his place

Ethan Lee came to Yellowstone as a stunt double, consultant and mentor. He also led cowboy boot camps to help the main cast develop the skills their roles required.

His character earned the ranch brand by the end of season three, signaling that Ethan was trusted at Dutton Ranch. But Lee’s work behind the scenes is more visible than his character’s individual accomplishments, limiting what viewers can assess.

Laramie and the rodeo circuit

Laramie arrived with a strong reputation as a barrel racer and showed she could handle ranch work. Yet romantic storylines often drew attention away from her skills, making her a divisive character.

After Lloyd and Walker’s conflict over her led to women being barred from the bunkhouse, Laramie left the ranch and continued barrel racing. Her choice pointed to a future in horse work, while actor Hassie Harrison also grew up on a cattle ranch.

Walker’s skills and ambitions

Ryan Bingham began rodeo at 17. After meeting Taylor Sheridan while working on the Wind River soundtrack, he was given the role of Walker, who received his brand in Yellowstone’s first season.

Walker rides, works cattle and helps Beth improve as a rider. However, his commitment to ranch life is mixed: he aspires to be a country singer and does not always agree with the Duttons’ extreme actions. Bingham also contributed to the show’s soundtrack.

Jake Ream’s cowboy background

Jake Ream was already a horse trainer and cowboy before joining Yellowstone. He met Sheridan while selling him a horse, then gave riding lessons to Sheridan and his family.

Like Lee, Ream ran cowboy boot camps for the main actors. The article’s account of Ream ends before explaining what happened after those sessions.