Paramount’s Yellowstone took a pause for the show’s first-ever midseason finale with the episode “A Knife and No Coin.” In addition to revelations, threats of all-out war, and broken hearts — the series also introduced a champion bull rider to the arena, and fans had crossed their fingers in hopes of his arrival over the last few months.
It was a bittersweet moment when fans learned that Jimmy would leave the Yellowstone and go to the 6666 Ranch in Texas. The cowboy hopeful needed to understand what it meant to embrace the lifestyle at its core, not just to wear the hat and buckle and look fabulous while doing it. In John Dutton’s mind, that meant going to a place where Jimmy could start the process from the ground up.
During his time in Texas, Jimmy has changed fundamentally, and he’s also realized the value of a hard day’s work. He found love in Texas and received advice from iconic members of the real-life western lifestyle. The legendary Buster Welch made an appearance on Yellowstone as himself, talking about the ways of cowboying with Barry Corbin, another icon, cowboy, and fellow cutting horse trainer.
In the midseason finale, Jimmy also worked alongside that champion bull rider we mentioned earlier, and his name is Dale Brisby. If you’re familiar with bull riding and cowboying, or if you’ve ever seen an episode of the Netflix series, How to be a Cowboy, you’re already familiar with Brisby. He’s made a name for himself and garnered quite a following on social media, so fans were thrilled to see his face on our screens alongside one of our favorite ranch hands in the series.
So just who is Dale Brisby, when did he appear in Yellowstone, and should we expect to see more of him soon? As always, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Dale Brisby?
The question about who Dale Brisby is has many layers: in one word — he’s an icon. He’s made a name for himself, quite literally, by embracing the lifestyle he was born into and putting his own pizazz on it. He doesn’t “fit the bill” of a stereotypical cowboy, frequently tooting his own horn while creating a realm of existence where those who may never have looked into a ranch lifestyle can feel an inviting tug toward it.
He’s a comedian, cowboy, ranch manager, and alter ego, and the persona he’s crafted for himself is downright impossible to turn away from. You could lose time scrolling through videos on social media of Brisby and his antics, and that’s part of the fun of what he’s turned his career into. He might talk about ranching with a humorous tone and build himself up as the most iconic of all time, but as Texas Monthly said, the real gift he’s giving the world is the introduction into a world some people thought stopped existing some time ago.
Brisby describes himself as a simple guy who enjoys making the most out of this wild ride:
“Here’s the thing; Dale Brisby lives a simple life- ridin’ bulls and punchin’ fools. I ain’t on your time. I don’t even really care about time. Theres only one time that matters to Dale Brisby- Rodeo Time! I’m a lone ranger, a lone wolf. When life hands you lemons, put a bull rope on ’em. POW POW.”
In addition to loving Rodeo Time, the lone wolf is the star of the Netflix series How to be a Cowboy, which lands somewhere between honesty and satire. His passion is truly in the rodeo world, and in an interview with Rodeo News, he describes the truth behind everything he tries to do, and it’s actually a lovely sentiment.
“I have a really good time rodeoing and I like to live that life through social media. I am grateful every day that anyone might find what I do entertaining enough to give me a second look. I thank God everyday that He blessed me with a path to salvation through His son, with living in this country, for making me a cowboy, and for making me the most humble bull riding legend ever to walk the earth. If there’s a better life, I don’t know it.”
Here’s to Brisby: the myth and the man behind it.
When did he appear in Yellowstone?
Brisby made his grand debut in Yellowstone during the midseason finale at the 6666 Ranch alongside our beloved ranch hand and cowboy, Jimmy. As fans got to see a preview into the lifestyle Jimmy’s been embracing in Texas, we saw Brisby showing off some of his skills amid the other cowboys and ranch hands in the series.
While we didn’t hear Brisby talk, fans quickly noticed his appearance in the series and took to social media to chat about it.
Brisby showed up at the meal time too!
The perfect meme for that exact moment goes to:
All in all, Brisby’s appearance was short and sweet, but since Jimmy’s camp is currently the 6666 Ranch, and he’s created quite a life for himself there, we’re looking forward to the future and getting to know the hands he works alongside. Here’s hoping Brisby is one of them!
Should we expect to see more of him in Yellowstone?
Of course, the abovementioned idea has fans wondering if Brisby will be a more significant part of the series in the future. After appearing on Yellowstone, he went to social media to share with fans that he did, indeed, show up in an episode. Calling himself the show’s star now (obviously), he says he promises not to let fame change him; he’ll stay humble and down-to-earth in this new realm of stardom.
Jefferson White, who plays Jimmy, even commented on the video, saying that fame has already changed Brisby. With just a short social media interaction, we’re already hoping for more between these two in the future. Jimmy has had quite a few zingers throughout Yellowstone already, and with his brand of sarcasm and Brisby’s, we’d all be better off seeing a blossoming bond between these two in the future.
Plus, as Brisby says, he and Taylor Sheridan are just besties now, so you should get comfortable with his impact on the series.
All jokes aside, fans hope to see more of Brisby on the series; as we said above, he’s hilarious and snarky enough to talk smack with the best of them. In the absence of our favorite duo, Colby and Jimmy, we could see him find a new pal in a character played by Brisby as he settles into life in Texas.
Yellowstone is on a midseason hiatus, but we’re keeping up with everything Dutton until the series returns this summer.