Representative Matt Koch

Matthew Ryan Koch is a Republican member of the Kentucky House of Representatives representing District 72, which includes Bourbon, Fleming, and Nicholas counties.

Born on May 11, 1978, in Paris, Kentucky, Matt Koch is a self-employed horse farmer and thoroughbred operator. He served in the United States Marine Corps, deploying to Kosovo and Afghanistan, and retired as a captain in 2004. In 2004, he started a thoroughbred operation on his parents' farm while working as a farrier, and in 2005, he co-founded Shawhan Place, a horse breeding and boarding farm in Paris. He serves as a board member of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and was named Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Manager of the Year. Koch is Catholic and has been in the House since 2019, winning unopposed in 2022 and 2024 .

Education and Political Experience

• Education: University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
• Political Experience: Elected to Kentucky House District 72 in 2019; re-elected in 2022 and 2024. Chairs House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Committee and co-chairs its interim joint committee. Serves on Agriculture, Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs committees, and multiple caucuses including Equine, Agriculture, Pro-Life, Bourbon Trail, and Kentucky Sportsmen's.