Luke Snyder has his groove back. After tying for top honors last weekend at the Nampa Invitational, Snyder, of Raymore, Mo., topped the first go round when the Professional Bull Riders’ (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler (BFTS) rolled into the Qwest Center for the first of two explosive nights of action. Snyder scored 89 championship points aboard Page and Teague Bucking Bulls’ Big Rig to take the lead at Stop No. 16 on the tour.

Soon-to-be-retired former PBR World champion, Ednei Caminhas (P. Alves, Sao Paulo, BZ) and home-state favorite, Dustin Elliott (North Platte, Neb.), tied for second and third place in the first go round behind Snyder. Caminhas tamed Hebert Bucking Bulls’ Handsome Jack for 88 points, while Elliott mastered Danny Lemmons’ Splat Kat, also for 88. Rounding out the top four was Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.) with an 87.75 point effort aboard Frontier Rodeo and Gaylon Childers’ bull Simon.

Snyder, 25, holds the record for the most consecutive events attended in a PBR career at 217, including Omaha. He dominated last weekend’s Nampa Invitational, placing high in all four go rounds and posting three 90-plus scores en route to the victory, which he engineered by a significant margin of 9.75 points over runner up Ross Colema(Molalla, Ore.).

Of the streak he’s on Snyder said, “I’m in a little groove right now and it’s great. I’ll tell you what I’m just enjoying riding bulls a lot right now. As far as anything I’m doing differently, mainly just staying on!”

Snyder, who hadn’t won a BFTS event since 2005 (in Portland, Ore., Jan. 21-22) until Nampa, said that the bull Big Rig is one he hadn’t faced, but close friend Ross Coleman told him what kind of trip to expect and Big Rig performed as anticipated.

As the Nampa Invitational round three winner, Snyder was eligible to compete for the $5,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car “Ride with the Best” bonus during the first round of competition in Nampa. Snyder successfully earned the $5,000 bonus in addition to the win.

The Omaha Classic airs on VERSUS at 12:30 a.m. ET Sunday, April 13 and Monday, April 14.

Injury Report:
Brendon Clark (Morpeth, NSW, AUS) suffered a concussion and is questionable to compete.

Jarrod Craig (Hillsboro, Texas) aggravated a previously sprained shoulder and is competing.

Jared Farley (Kempsey, NSW, AUS) sublexed his right shoulder and is probable to compete.