After Richard King, the founder of the famed King Ranch died in 1883, Kleberg, the firm's former legal counsel, took over the management of the 600,000-acre ranch in Texas. Kleberg expanded the ranch to over 1.3 million acres. Although the ranch eventually made profits from its oil, natural gas, and cotton production, it is best known for its development of the Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle. Moreover, under Kleberg’s direction, King Ranch had thriving Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeding operations.

On the King Ranch around 1914, Kleberg started probably the most famous breeding program in Quarter Horse history with Richard King and Caesar Kleberg. He started with a band of mainly Thoroughbred mares bought by Caesar Kleberg, and he acquired the Old Sorrel in 1918 and bred him to these mares to produce the likes of Wimpy (Champion of the Fort Worth Show, 1940), Macanudo, Peppy, Babe Grande and Charro. They became some of the most influential stallions in Quarter Horse history.

Born in 1853 in DeWitt County, Texas, Kleberg is credited as playing a large role in the development of South Texas, including setting aside the site for the town of Kingsville. He was also a leader in the fight against the Texas fever tick.

From March 1899 to March 1901, Kleberg was president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

He was married to Alice Gertrudis King, daughter of Richard King, in 1886. They had five children, one of whom, Robert Justus Kleberg, Jr., was manager of the ranch in 1950. Kleberg died at the King Ranch headquarters on October 10, 1932.

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