'Yellowstone' Paid Tribute to Horseman Bob Avila Ahead of Season 5 Finale

The Season 5 finale of Yellowstone, which may also be the show's series finale, aired on Dec. 15, leaving fans with a few answers and plenty of questions. Among those questions is what the future of this entire universe looks like, but for now, many are concerned about a tribute to Bob Avila that played just before the episode began.

In a message that played just before the episode, viewers saw: “This episode is dedicated to Bob Avila. See you down the dusty trail, Amigo.” Following the tribute, many naturally wanted to learn more about who Bob was and what he meant to Yellowstone. Here's what we know.

Bob Avila was a well-known horseman who died on Nov. 9 at the age of 72. He was a member of the National Reining Horse Association’s Hall of Fame and was also twice named the World's Greatest Horseman. Bob's family was in horses, and he spent his life training the animals and teaching others how to do the same.

While all of that is very impressive, many naturally wondered why Bob received a tribute on Yellowstone.

The answer dates back to the show's third season, when Bob appeared on the show along with a number of other legendary horse trainers. In the episode, titled "I Killed a Man Today," Kevin Costner's John Dutton goes shopping for new horses, so it only makes sense that he would encounter some brilliant horse minds. Although he was only in a single episode, Bob apparently made a significant impact on the cast and crew of Yellowstone.

While the finale might have put a bow on much of the story of Yellowstone proper, it seems like the cast and creator Taylor Sheridan are not done with this universe just yet. Reporting suggests that a spinoff of the series is in the works that will star Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, two of the core show's stars. While final details have yet to be confirmed, the show will also reportedly have Yellowstone in the title, but the show's full name has yet to be unveiled.

Although we don't know exactly what this spinoff will be yet, it seems clear that Sheridan is looking to continue the drama at the core of Yellowstone while putting it under a different name. The core Yellowstone brand may be too explicitly tied to Kevin Costner, who quit the series because shooting the final half of Season 5 conflicted with his commitments to star in and direct Horizon: An American Saga.

There were initially rumors that a Season 6 of the show might be in development, but it seems that the show's creative team and Sheridan himself instead decided to move forward with a spinoff instead. What's unclear, though, is whether this spinoff is any different than Yellowstone Season 6, or whether the original show's sixth season will now get made under what is basically a new name.