2025 National MotoTrials Series Rounds 1-4 Results

Shan Moore | April 14, 2025

With the 2025 National MotoTrials Series already at its halfway mark, it’s clear who has the upper hand, although it has been a close battle for the top spot between Spaniard Jorge Casales (Montesa), the sixth-ranked trials rider in the 2024 World GP Series, and 14-time National Trials Champion Pat Smage of Wisconsin. Although Casales has won the first four of eight rounds, it’s been a battle between him and the determined Smage. But there’s still half of a season for Smage to mount a comeback. In 2017, Smage defeated top-10-ranked Spaniard Marc Freixa (Montesa) to win the title.

Jorge Casales at 2025 MotoTrials — **Spaniard Jorge Casales has won every round so far in this year’s AMA/NATC MotoTrials Championship, including the latest round in Southern California. Photo: Stephanie Vetterly**

The first two rounds of the series were held April 5-6 at Red River Motorcycle Park in Muenster, Texas, which presents sandy, clay and tricky climbs and descents. On this day, the weather was wet, cold and windy. In fact, the event was delayed for an hour to allow the temperature to warm up and some of the water to run off of the rocks.

Casales, used to slippery conditions since he comes from the northwest of Spain, similar in climate to the USA’s Pacific Northwest, dropped six points on the opening lap, while Smage turned a card with 12 points.

As the rain stopped and the sections began to dry, Smage picked up the pace and finished lap two with five points, compared to seven for Casales.

The third and final lap was a deal-breaker for Smage, as Casales cleaned the entire loop while Smage posted 11 points, leaving the overall tally at Casales 13 and Smage 28.

Sherco’s Will Myers of Pennsylvania posted an overall score of 45 for third, with GasGas’ Josh Roper fourth with 48 and Alex Myers (Scorpa) fifth with 67.

Better weather greeted the competitors at round two in Muenster, but the result at the top of the Pro standings was the same. Casales demonstrated his prowess by cleaning the entire event. Smage, on the other hand, finished the day with 10 points for second.

Roper followed in third (18), Alex Myers in fourth with 24, just edging his brother Will in a tie-breaker, also with 24 cleans.

Next up were rounds three and four in Anza, California, April 12-13, where the Southern California Trials Association greeted the riders with a challenging but enjoyable event set up by Geoff Aaron and Daniel Blanc-Gonnett, complete with the usual enormous but grippy rocks. Saturday’s event also doubled as this year’s El Trial de Espana.

On Saturday, ETdN day, Casales started off in a hole when he spun in the sand before a large climb and collected a five. Smage got through with a clean. Casales made up for his error by cleaning the rest of the event and taking the day’s win, while Smage dropped eight.

Roper (21), Alex Myers (43) and Will Myers (63) finished out the top five.

Round four in California was a squeaker, as both Casales and Smage finished the event tied on points with 12 each. Casales grabbed the win by virtue of having more cleans, while Smage settled for second.

Third through fifth came Alex Myers (42), Roper (52) and Will Myers (69).

After four rounds, Casales leads the overall standings with 126 points. Smage is second with 103. Roper is third with 78, while Alex Myers and Will Myers round out the top five in the standings with 73 and 69, respectively.

Just one rider is competing in the Women’s Pro class, Montesa pilot Kylee Sweeten, of Oregon.

In the Expert division, Beta’s Alexander Niederer is leading the way in the championship. He has so far won all four rounds, though Keith Wineland is keeping a close eye on Niederer. Wineland has placed second in all four rounds. Niederer leads Wineland, 132 points to 88. Beta-mounted Sherman Smith III is third with 72 points. Maximus Glueck (Sherco) and Dan O’Neill (Beta) round out the top five.