SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT




Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):    October 8, 2003


Commission File Number:   0-49677


                            WEST BANCORPORATION, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


         Iowa                                              42-1230603
------------------------                   -------------------------------------
(State of Incorporation)                   (I.R.S. Employer Indentification No.)


                  1601 22nd Street, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
                  ---------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                  Registrant's telephone number: 515-222-2300



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Item 5. Other Events

The  Registrant  issued a press  release  on  October  9,  2003  announcing  the
declaration of a quarterly cash dividend of $.16 per common share.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

        (c)   Exhibits

              99.1  Press Release of West Bancorporation, Inc. dated
                    October 9, 2003.

The information  contained in this Press Release and other financial reports may
contain  forward-looking  statements  about the Company's growth and acquisition
strategies,  new  products  and  services,  and  future  financial  performance,
including earnings and dividends per share, return on average assets,  return on
average equity,  efficiency ratio and capital ratio.  Certain statements in this
news release constitute  "forward-looking  statements" within the meaning of the
Private  Securities   Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.  Such   forward-looking
information   is  based  upon   certain   underlying   assumptions,   risks  and
uncertainties.   Because  of  the   possibility  of  change  in  the  underlying
assumptions,  actual results could differ materially from these  forward-looking
statements.  Risks and  uncertainties  that may affect future  results  include:
competitive pressures,  pricing pressures on loans and deposits, actions of bank
and non-bank  competitors,  changes in local and national  economic  conditions,
changes in  regulatory  requirements,  actions of the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  and/or the Federal Reserve Board,  and customer's  acceptance of the
Company's products and services.  The Company undertakes no obligation to revise
or update such statements to reflect current events or  circumstances  after the
date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.


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                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  West
Bancorporation,  Inc.  has caused  this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto fully authorized.

West Bancorporation, Inc.
-------------------------
(Registrant)

October 9, 2003                             By: /s/ Douglas R. Gulling
---------------                             --------------------------
Dated                                       Douglas R. Gulling
                                            Chief Financial Officer

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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

The following exhibit is filed herewith:

         Exhibit No.                                            Description
         ------------------------------------------        ---------------------
99.1     Press Release of West Bancorporation, Inc.        Dated October 9, 2003



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