The latest season of the hit show Yellowstone has sparked a debate among fans, not about the Dutton family’s drama, but about the increased screen time dedicated to reining pro Travis Wheatley, portrayed by show creator Taylor Sheridan himself. The penultimate episode featured several scenes at Bosque Ranch, Sheridan’s personal spread and production company, much to the chagrin of some viewers who felt it was an excessive “Taylor show” and too focused on the “horse show.”
One viewer expressed frustration on X, stating, “15 mins of story and scenes wasted with watching Taylor Sheridan showboat on his own show, partying and just doing his thing.” Another fan wrote, “I definitely do NOT watch #Yellowstone for Taylor Sheridan. The penultimate episode did not do its thing.” A third commenter voiced their opinion, “Weird flex that Taylor Sheridan took 2 years to write these final episodes THAT CENTERS ON HIM! We don’t care about Travis. Hopefully he put his ego aside for the very last episode… so the viewers can actually see the Dutton family and not all this horse show.”
As a lifelong horsewoman and a dedicated Yellowstone fan, the outrage is somewhat amusing. It appears that many of the complaining viewers are not horse owners and missed the nuanced portrayal of the horse business, with all its inherent dysfunction.
For those who haven’t seen the episode, the plot point involved Beth Dutton needing funds to save the ranch and tasking Travis with selling the ranch’s prize cutting horse stallion. Beth’s husband, Rip, playfully warned her about Travis’s personality, jokingly remarking, “Honey, he’s a horse trainer, he’d try to (use your imagination here) in front of me if he could. Horse trainers are like Corriente bulls.”
Following Rip’s warning, Beth encounters Travis and his girlfriend Sadie, played by supermodel and equestrian Bella Hadid. Hadid, who recently participated in a charity cutting horse competition hosted by Sheridan, makes a brief appearance in an auction scene. The episode then depicts Beth and Sadie observing Travis showcasing the cutting horse stallion to a group of questionable international buyers. Beth confronts Sadie about her attraction to Travis, describing him as “arrogant,” “condescending,” and “misogynistic,” and noting the significant age gap. Sadie’s simple reply, “Have you ever seen him ride before?” and the subsequent intense shots of Travis expertly riding the stallion, elicit an understanding nod from Beth. This dynamic highlights a common observation in the equestrian world: the prevalence of older, sometimes arrogant, horsemen and the young women captivated by their riding skills.
Further adding to the intrigue, Travis employs a group of fake buyers to inflate the horse’s price by $1 million. When Beth questions the ethics of this tactic and whether the buyers were cheated, another cowboy explains, “Travis is tricky. But a horse is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. There’s a lot of luck. It’s like lottery tickets – if lottery tickets bucked.” These scenes resonated with those familiar with the horse industry, as the character of Travis accurately reflects the less-than-ethical dealings that can occur among professional dealers and trainers. Sheridan’s portrayal of Travis duping wealthy buyers into overpaying for the horse feels more like a documentary segment than a scripted drama, capturing the often-shady nature of the horse world.
For horse enthusiasts, the presence of authentic equestrian elements is a significant draw of the show. Sheridan, a genuine cowboy and horseman, clearly possesses deep knowledge of the industry, further evidenced by his ownership of the 6666 Ranch.
Moreover, the criticism directed at Sheridan for his on-screen presence seems unwarranted. Having begun his career as an actor and subsequently delivering critically acclaimed television for five years across multiple shows, Sheridan has certainly earned the right to a degree of self-indulgence in his creative endeavors.
The scenes featuring Travis Wheatley offer an insider’s look into the complex and often ethically ambiguous world of professional horse training and sales. For those within the equestrian community, these moments provide a compelling and realistic portrayal that enhances the overall appeal of Yellowstone.
