VOL. 51 ISSUE 44 NOVEMBER 4, 2014 P59
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAN MOORE
S
even years is a long time to domi-
nate a sport—any sport—especial-
ly at the top level. But that's how
many years Pat Smage has controlled
the U.S. National MotoTrials Champion-
ship. His latest success came in June
when he clinched the 2014 MotoTrials
Championship for the seventh time.
Since winning his first title in 2007,
the Sherco USA-backed rider has won
every year, except for 2010 when he lost
to Cody Webb. That was a season spent
juggling the national series with trips to
Europe to compete in the Junior class
at the world level. Smage and Europe
didn't get along very charmingly and his
riding suffered for it over here.
The following year, Smage was back
on his game and the Wisconsin native
strung together four-straight champion-
ship seasons, including 2014, leaving
him second to only Geoff Aaron in ca-
reer titles.
Aaron, by the way, owns 10 national
trials title, winning his last in 2006, the
year before Smage began his run of
titles.
"After I gave up on competing in
Europe, I did lose some motivation,
but all in all, I've had more success
than I could have ever imagined," says
Smage. "It gets tough to keep pushing
myself when there's nothing else I can
push for in the States. More titles would
be amazing, but if I don't get any more
I'll be happy with what I have done."
Living in Wisconsin, Smage is fairly
isolated from the rest of the trials world
in the U.S., and he doesn't have many
people he can train with, other than his
