The desert isn’t kind. It doesn’t care about reputations, contracts or dreams built over years of racing. But every so often, it offers a rider the chance to redefine themselves. That’s exactly what happened when Korey McMahon stormed to victory at the 2025 Penrite Hattah Desert Race, leading an all‑KTM podium and announcing himself as one of Australia’s premier off‑road talents.
For much of his young career, McMahon’s sights were set on the Finke Desert Race. He chased it year after year, returning to the Northern Territory’s brutal, whooped‑out track with the same dream shared by every desert racer: to win at Finke. But when the ink dried on his 2025 deal with KTM DM31 Racing, his focus shifted. That contract centred his program on the AORC (Australian Off‑Road Championship) and a full campaign for Hattah. It was a change that some saw as risky – turning away from the race he’d obsessed over for years – but it ultimately set the stage for his greatest performance.
THE BRUTALITY OF HATTAH
Hattah isn’t just another race. Riders call it a four‑hour motocross, but that description hardly does justice to what unfolds over 37km of sand whoops, square‑edged bumps and rutted straights. By the final laps, the track resembles a battlefield – holes deep enough to swallow a front wheel and endless braking bumps that send shocks through a rider’s arms and back. Surviving Hattah is one thing; winning it is another level entirely.
Saturday’s prologue and Top 10 Shootout set the tone. Daniel Milner, three‑time Hattah winner and KTM DM31 Racing team owner, topped both sessions aboard his KTM 450XC‑F. Callum Norton, last year’s champion with the STE KTM Racing Team, slotted in second. McMahon quietly placed third, while Jonte Reynders and Gus Riordan rounded out the top five.
When the flag dropped on Sunday morning, the spectacle was pure chaos with more than 450 riders charging into blinding dust, each searching for a rhythm on a track that changed by the minute. Milner’s experience showed early, before McMahon surged into the lead aboard his KTM 500 EXC‑F, with reigning champion Callum Norris behind. McMahon was flowing through the sand where others fought it. By mid‑race, he’d broken free, controlling the pace while Norton and Riordan kept him honest. In the pits, his team delivered flawless fuel stops. Out on track, his riding looked almost effortless despite the brutality of the terrain.
A CAREER‑DEFINING RIDE
McMahon’s advantage sat at around the 30-second mark, lap after lap until, after four relentless hours, he crossed the line to claim his first Hattah Desert Race victory.
“I don’t think anyone saw this coming, but both myself and the team knew that it was possible,” McMahon said. “I went to work for four hours, and the bike was unreal. We were able to get a gap at the start and then manage it from there, so all‑in‑all, super happy with how we performed. The competition is so tough at this race, and it really takes one of your best days to get a win – that’s what we had today. I couldn’t have done this without Daniel Milner, he’s taught me everything he knows, and it’s really paying off. A huge thank you to the team, I’m so pumped with this result!”
A WIN THAT RESONATES
Hattah’s reputation is built on suffering: the searing forearm pump, the endless whoops, the exhaustion. That’s why a Hattah win carries weight beyond a trophy. It’s a stamp of toughness, a marker that you didn’t just ride the desert – you mastered it. McMahon’s performance in 2025 will be remembered not only for the way he rode but for how he embraced the challenge. After years of chasing desert glory, he arrived at Hattah with a new focus and turned it into the biggest victory of his career. In doing so, he joined an elite list of riders able to tame one of the harshest one‑day tests in Australian off‑road racing.
REACTIONS
Callum Norton – 2nd (STE KTM Racing Team):
“It was a tough day out here at Hattah, and I’m pretty stoked on second place as Korey rode amazing all day. The pace was high from the first lap, and there’s nothing I could really do to catch up. It was an insane four hours, and I tried to be consistent across the race and keep some in the tank for later, but it wasn’t enough to get the win this year. Thank you to STE Racing, KTM Australia, and all my supporters on what was a phenomenal day! Hopefully we’re all back here next year to go at it again.”
Angus Riordan – 3rd (FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers):
“A really brutal day out here at Hattah – it was faster than normal and super‑choppy! The wind played a big factor out there, but we did our best and were able to come away with a P3 overall finish for this year. I love this event, and a big thank you to all those who help out and support me in racing here, and congratulations to the other two boys on the podium day. They earned it.”
Daniel Milner – 5th (KTM DM31 Racing Team):
“I’m absolutely stoked for Korey. We’ve put in so much work leading into this event, and to see him on the top step is honestly amazing. For me to get P5, we achieved the same result last year, and it was a good finish. I don’t have the pace that these young guys do through the fast stuff, I think about it a little too much, and back off when I shouldn’t! But we’ve put a lot into Korey over the last three months, and this result is awesome, just unbelievable to see.”
BEYOND THE OUTRIGHT
KTM’s dominance extended beyond the podium, with Corey Hammond – fresh from his breakthrough Finke Desert Race victory – claiming 10th outright. His ride highlighted the depth of competition and just how punishing Hattah can be, even for riders already proven in other desert events.
WOMEN’S AND JUNIOR STANDOUTS
Danielle McDonald – Women’s Winner (Yamaha WR250F):
“I have always loved doing Hattah and even though I’m racing in the US, if there are no date clashes, I will always come back and do this race. I love the challenges of doing well here as well as the atmosphere and just the riding in general. And even with the physical demands of doing it, it’s still a lot of fun. It was also good to catch up with so many people that I hadn’t seen in a while.”
Marcus Nowland – Junior Big Wheel Winner:
“I had some energy in reserve, so I was able to get a good lap in, get through the slower riders at good times and get away from the guys behind me, so it was good to have a comfortable gap by the end of the lap. This was the first time I raced a WR250F as I usually ride the YZ250F at Australian Enduro rounds, but we felt the six‑speed gearbox would help on the long straights. The bike was amazing; really comfortable to ride and handled everything easily.”
Stella Harding – Girls Under‑12 Winner (Yamaha YZ85):
“Hattah is an awesome race, and I love doing it as it’s something different to motocross. I love how fast we can go on the long straights and it’s so much fun racing with so many people.”
2025 HATTAH DESERT RACE – OUTRIGHT RESULTS
1. Korey McMahon
2. Callum Norton
3. Angus Riordan
4. Samuel Pretscherer
5. Daniel Milner
6. Andrew Wilksch
7. Jacob Sweet
8. Jye Dickson
9. Jack Simpson
10. Corey Hammond
ABOUT HATTAH
In 1997, at a North West Victorian Motorcycle Club meeting, a simple idea sparked a legacy: “Let’s bring back Hattah.”
The club wanted their desert race back after losing the BP Desert Race in the 1970s. With a team of volunteers and nearby land to map a course, the Hattah Desert Enduro roared back to life in 1998 as a Pony Express race.
Over the next decades, a dedicated group of custodians grew the event – marking tracks, securing sponsors and funding, and turning a local club race into a bona fide national fixture.
Since then, countless riders have battled the red dirt, with names like Warren Smart (five-time winner), Toby Price (five-time winner) and modern stars Daniel Sanders and Callum Norton all etched into the history books.
From just 70 riders in 1998 to more than 650 competitors by 2016, the North West Victorian Motorcycle Club’s dream became a legend.
WHILE THE ORANGE ARMY DOMINATED… BETA STOOD TALL
While the chaos up front was awash with KTM orange, Beta Australia quietly carved out a huge result of its own. Victorian local Andy Wilksch rode his Beta RC 450 4T from 13th on the grid to an impressive 6th outright, while teammate Jye Dickson backed him up in 8th, giving Beta two bikes inside the top 10 of Australia’s toughest desert race.
“It was a great weekend at Hattah to come away with 6th place,” said Wilksch. “The RC 450 4T had plenty of power, and was very competitive over the gruelling four‑hour desert race. It’s a testament to what a stock Beta RC 450 4T can achieve at this high level of racing. It’s great to come away with two Beta Motorcycles in the top 10 this year. Thanks to Beta Australia and our sponsors for the support.”
