Ky Hamilton had momentum rolling after a strong finish in the previous season, and he fully expected to pick up right where he left off in 2023. He soon found out that would not be the case.
“I was so excited for 2023 to start. I had been doing everything possible to prepare,” he said. “I could not wait to get to Denver and San Antonio and light things up. It did not go that way at all.”
The season began and Hamilton could not cash a check, the man who finished No. 4 in the world in 2022 found himself with no money after two bulls in Denver and then proceeded to get bucked off of 4-of-6 bulls in Fort Worth. His struggles continued into San Antonio, where he failed to make the whistle on his first four bulls. He was, however, still able to advance through to the Semifinals based on his World Ranking the year prior, he used the good fortune to try something new. And sometimes it’s the smallest changes that can make the biggest impact.
“I went to the San Antonio Xtreme Bulls leading up to that I had tossed and turned about taking my helmet off and just wearing a hat and I wasn’t sure... after San Antone Xtreme Bulls I didn’t know anything else to do and JB (Mauney) was there and I asked him what he was doing that weekend.”
It turned out JB had a free week and Ky asked to spend the week there and practice as much as he could, and during that practice, the helmet came off.
“I think I got on eight bulls that week and rode every single one of them in my hat. Just hanging out with him and talking about bull riding and getting that confidence back on the practice bulls. I think that flipped the switch.”
It clearly did, Hamilton headed back to the Semis in San Antonio and made the Short Round. He would go on to win Tuscon the same weekend as the San Antonio Finals and the rest is history. Hamilton finished the year No. 2 in the world with over $250,000 earned on the season and is heading to his fourth consecutive NFR in December.
