story by Siri Stevens
Sydney Frey, daughter of NFR bareback rider, Shawn Frey, is the current president of the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association. “My job includes hanging up the banners, helping around the rodeo grounds and doing whatever needs to be done,” said the 17-year-old from Duncan, Oklahoma, who decided to be the president to help out and represent the state of Oklahoma the best way she could. “At the first rodeo this weekend, I helped elect the student directors and talked to the students about the association.” She won the barrels on Saturday and placed the second day. She caught her calf, and placed in the poles. “I would take it every weekend,” she said of her runs. The junior competes in barrel racing, breakaway roping, and pole bending. Her favorite is barrel racing. “My mom (Gaye) was a barrel racer and she got me started on it and that’s what I really like to do. That’s what my future is.” She made it to the National High School Finals her freshman year, but not last year. “Last year, at state finals, I hit a barrel in the first round to get to Nationals.” This year, she is going to stay focused and do the best she can and leave it in God’s hands. “And hope it turns out in my favor.”
Sydney plans to go to college and rodeo through the summer and get her permit, her card, and hopefully make the NFR one day. In the meantime, she is preparing her mind and her horses and waiting on her horses until they are ready to take it on.
Her dad, Shawn, quit bareback riding the year Sydney was born. He is a rancher, and the family works at that every day. “We have two ranches, one in Duncan, and one Leedey, which is three hours away. We get out there a few times during the summer and work the cattle when they need to be shipped and a couple times during the winter.” Her favorite part of ranching is riding her horse and working with the cattle and being with her whole family. “It’s great to be part of it all and learn new things.” Sydney has an older brother, 8 years older, Shane Frey who is a PRCA steer wrestler and is trying to make the NFR, “He has a chance and we are all watching.”
Sydney is home schooled, starting with her eighth grade year. “I feel like I learn a lot better and I have a lot more time to practice and do what I need to do with my horses. My favorite subject is math.” She is not fond of social studies because of the amount of reading it takes. She hasn’t decided on a career path, but thought about pursuing horse chiropractor so she can learn more about her favorite animal.
She was a competitive dancer until sixth grade, jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip hop. Her favorite was Tap. “From the time I was three, all I did was dance. When I was in sixth grade, I started competing in rodeo in the junior high division. And I realized that rodeo was what I really wanted to do.” She tried to do both for a year, but decided to focus on rodeo.
