Rookie Snyder wins PBR championship

Victoria Sun

Monday, Oct. 29, 2001 | 10:53 a.m.

All year long 19-year-old Luke Snyder coveted one thing: a victory in a Professional Bull Riders event.

He finally got it at the PBR Bud Light Cup World Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center on Sunday night along with a spot in the PBR record books.

And that was after PBR founding member Adriano Moraes rode his way to PBR history.

Snyder, who was crowned PBR rookie of the year Saturday, become the first rookie to win the PBR Finals with a total score of 450. He earned more than $255,000.

"It's been a great year, I couldn't ask for anything better than this," Snyder said. "I was kind of upset with myself for not being able to win an event this year because that was my goal.

"Tonight was the most exciting night, the best night of my life."

Moraes, 31, edged Ty Murray in Bud Light Cup points for the year to become the first two-time World Champion. The Brazilian captured his first world title in 1994.

For the year Moraes earned $458,151.

At the world championships, he rode four of five bulls and finished fifth.

"I'm just happy to be the very first ever and first two-time champion," Moraes said. "Every single title is hard.

"Before, it was a different time and less events, but the same competition. We didn't know what we had back then. I think the sport grew a lot, it's more professional. This one means a little more to me. I'd like to see how the third one feels."

Former UNLV students Justin McBride and Ross Coleman had the best seasons of their careers. They finished third and fourth, respectively, in the overall point standings.

McBride, the first-round winner, and Coleman have both won more than $300,000.

Snyder, of Raymore, Mo., and Brazilian Paulo Crimber were the only two men to ride all five bulls.

Crimber made a miraculous recovery on Jack Daniel's Happy Hour in the final round to score a 88.5. He became the first rider to cover the massive bull and he finished second overall in the championships with 443 points.

Before an announced crowd of 17,168 that included many of Snyder's family and friends, he got his first chance to ride Clayton's Pet, a bull he watched on TV as a child. He scored a 93.5, which was his best score of the championships.

"I really wanted to get on Clayton's Pet," Snyder said. "Those were real good bulls.

"A guy couldn't ask for five better bulls. Ever since I rode the first one, I was tapped off on him and I knew I was riding better each round. I felt in control on all five bulls. I just had a blast all week."

Chris Shivers earned a 96.5 by successfully riding Dillinger, a two-time PBR Bull of the Year, to win the final round and $20,000.

The high score tied the record set by himself and Bubba Dunn in Tampa Bay.

Shivers had scored a 94 on Dillinger before, but was bucked off his last try.

"Dillinger, he's a great bull," Shivers said. "I needed a little revenge and I guess tonight was the night."

It was the second first-place finish of the day for Shivers, the 2000 PBR Bud Light Cup World Champion.

He and B. Joe Whitney each scored 90.5 to tie for first place in the fourth go-round, which preceded the championship round. They split $35,000.