BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Roping behind veteran Luke Brown in 2023, Hunter Koch has made his first NFR since 2020.
He enters No. 12 in the PRCA World Standing and is closing in a $500,000 in career earnings.
BIGGEST PAYDAYS
Rodeo Austin, $12,114
After less than $4,000 combined at the first three stops of the Texas Swing, Brown/Koch changed their fortunes in Austin with a Round 2 win and then followed it up with a second place finish in the Finals.
Greeley Stampede (Colorado), $7,899
Brown/Koch place in Round 2 and the Finals on their way to a tie for second in the Average in Greeley, which paid $4,700. Their time of 18.5 seconds on three put them behind Derrick Begay/Colter Todd’s 16.9 second aggregate time.
FASTEST RUNS
Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup (South Dakota), 3.5 Seconds
Brown/Koch had to fight to advance in every round of the Governor’s Cup. They didn’t win a check on either of their first two runs, but advanced fifth in the two-head Average. In the Semifinals, it all paid off when they were 3.5 to get into the Four-Man Finals, where they won $6,000.
Fiesta Days Rodeo (Utah), 3.9 Seconds
The pair’s second fastest run of the season paid them just over $3,000 for a third place finish in Round 2in Spanish Fork. They also won checks at two additional PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos, Ogden Pioneer Days (Utah) and the Snake River Stampede (Idaho), that weekend.
NOTABLE WINS
Magic Valley Stampede (Idaho), 3.9 Seconds
Koch’s lone win in the 2023 regular season came in Idaho, a state he had one in once prior, in 2019. The win paid him more than $4,000 amid a hot streak to close August that saw him notch solid paydays at the Colorado State Fair and Rodeo and Horse Heaven Roundup (Washington) as well.
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