2025 NATC Rounds 7 & 8 Recap Tippecanoe Ohio

The Ohio Nationals were host to the final rounds of the East and the conclusion of US National Mototrials Championship. The location is known for its unpredictable weather, and that became evident during the weekend. The venue received heavy rain leading up to the round. This made for a slippery and muddy course that challenged the riders. The key to success would be finding traction and staying on their lines to avoid sliding off obstacles. Since this was the final two rounds of the championship, there was plenty on the line. The Beta Trials team won two rounds on the weekend with nine top-five finishes. There were a couple of East & West Region Championships won by our team. Seth Vorseth won the East & West Region Championships in the Expert Sportsman class. And Abigail Buzelli won the West Championships for the Women’s Sportsman class. Congrats to the team on a great season. Below are results & quotes from each rider regarding their performance on the weekend and season.
Rider Class Saturday Sunday
Sherman Smith III Expert 5th Place 4th Place
Seth Vorseth Expert Sportsman/Expert 3rd Place 8th Place
Chris Buzelli Senior Expert Sportsman 1st Place 2nd Place
Bennett Hubner Junior Expert Sportsman 3rd Place 2nd Place
Abigail Buzelli Women’s Sportsman 2nd Place 1st Place
Tom Trantow Sportsman 10th Place 10th Place

Race Bike – Factory 300 EVO

Class: Expert

3rd Place

National Championship

“Rounds 7 & 8 of the NATC Mototrials series in Ohio were one to remember! This was one of the slipperiest trials I have ridden in a long time. The muddy rocks and wet terrain forced everyone to perform their best at finding traction. I felt like the sections both days flowed pretty well, and even with the rain, I had a good time on the bike. Saturday, I tied 4th place but lost on one clean, so I ended the day in 5th, and Sunday, I placed 4th place in the Expert class. My Factory Beta 300 performed flawlessly all year long, and I would like to thank my minder Jay, team manager Ray, as well as everyone with Beta who helps make these events happen smoothly!”

Race Bike – Factory 250 EVO

Class: Expert Sportsman

1st Place

East & West Championship

“The final rounds of the NATC season have come to a close. It was a classic muddy Ohio weekend. On Saturday, I was under some pressure to wrap up the East Coast Championship. I rode my best and had a good 2nd loop, but made silly mistakes on the 1st and 3rd loop. With my mistakes, I got 3rd on the day. Just barely giving me the Expert Sportsman East Regional Championship. With my calculations, I did not have to ride Expert Sportsman on Sunday. I decided, with the blessing from Ray, to move up to the expert line. Well, with that said, Sunday was an experience. It was a harder setup, with bigger obstacles and harder falls. I was sore after the first loop and very sore after the second, and survived the third. It was a fun and educational day for me. All and all, it was a good weekend for me. Thank you, Betausa and Ray Peters and for the ride and amazing support this year. And thank you to all my friends and family for supporting me this year and for wishing me a happy birthday on Sunday. I’ve had an amazing year getting the east, west, and overall championship and spending the last NATC weekend with the Trials Inc. family. “

Race Bike – Factory 300 EVO

Class: Senior Expert Sportsman

2nd Place

East & West Region Championship

“I have raced countless hare scrambles at Lightning Raceway in Tippecanoe, Ohio, so I was excited to ride trials there for the first time. My primary goal was to win the national championship, which meant I had to win Saturday. I didn’t put pressure on myself, and aside from some nervous mistakes, I had a positive first loop. In the second loop, I felt rushed and had 4 section failures, yet I stayed focused, never looked at the scores. I reigned it back in on the 3rd loop to win my class for the day, which also secured the national championship. Sunday, waiting in lines really disrupted my flow (mentally and physically), but I eventually found my groove and ended up a close 2nd on the day and in the East Coast regional standings. Big shout out to Ray, Jay, Cole, Seth, and Sam, who contributed perspective and strategies for the wet conditions that proved to be indispensable. Lastly, winning the 2025 Senior Expert Sportsman Cross Region Championship felt absolutely incredible, and it wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing bike (Beta Factory Evo 300) and the support of Beta USA at the AMA NATC Mototrials nationals. Thanks to everyone for a memorable and successful season. See you on the loop.”

Race Bike – Factory 125 EVO

Class: Junior Expert Sportsman

3rd / 2nd Place

East / West Region Championship

“The last rounds of the NATC Nationals in Ohio were super fun. On Friday, before the event, it rained and got really slick.  The slick conditions made it even more fun for me because I don’t get to ride in those conditions very much. On Saturday, I had quite a few dumb points. I also had some pretty good rides. I ended Saturday with 44 points, which got me a third place. On Sunday, I was feeling the best I felt all weekend. I cleaned up my riding quite a bit and only took points where I needed to.  There were a few exceptions, like a five I got when my foot slipped when I went to take a dab. I ended Sunday in second place. Overall, it was an amazing season. Huge thank you to everyone who made it happen. My Beta EVO 125 was running well all season.  It was an amazing experience to be on the Beta team this year, and I hope to see all of you again next year. “

Race Bike – Factory 200 EVO

Class: Women’s Sportsman

1st Place

West Region Championship

“The final rounds of the national series wrapped up in Ohio this weekend. Saturday was a muddy challenge I usually look forward to, but a couple of simple mistakes left my bike in positions I couldn’t recover from, costing me the East Coast title with a P2 finish. On Sunday, I adjusted my strategy and rode more conservatively as the sections broke down—an approach that paid off with a win and the overall Cross Region Women’s Sportsman Championship. I couldn’t be more proud to bring it home on my Beta Evo 200 Factory, which handled everything from slick creek rocks to tight turns without missing a beat. Looking ahead, I’m excited to carry this momentum into the off-season and keep pushing forward in training.”

Race Bike – Factory 200 EVO

Class: Sportsman

“Although it was muddy and slick, this is my home state of Ohio, and I know these conditions well. The sections were on the more difficult side at Lightning Race Way and probably the most challenging we’ve had on the Sportsman line. A few too many 5’s kept me from the front of the pack, and I finished 10th out of 21 Saturday and 10th again on Sunday. This event was so much about learning and commitment, with hills and obstacles that I have plenty to keep working on.

This season can be summed up with two words: exposure and growth. Having now ridden in multiple states across the country and experiencing new terrain, I have a greater appreciation for the subtleties needed to be more successful in trials. I want to thank Beta USA, Tim, and Ray for all their support and the team for welcoming me in during my 1st season. The pits felt like home due to the hospitality of the crew, and my Beta EVO 200 performed flawlessly and is my favorite bike thus far.”

Photos: Steph Vetterly

Posted on Friday, July 25th, 2025 by Michael Le Pard

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