story by Claire Vincent
Millie Frey is the 18 year old daughter of Winston and Cindy Frey from Mowata, Louisiana. She is a senior at Academy of Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau and is the middle child out of the three Frey sisters. The Frey family has rodeoed for many generations, and Millie, along with her sisters and cousins, have been raised into the sport of rodeo. Millie’s dad, Winston, qualified for the NFR in the steer wrestling, and her uncle, Shawn qualified in the bareback riding. Millie competes in breakaway roping, girls cutting, barrel racing, and pole bending at Louisiana high school rodeos with her younger sister, Allie. Her older sister, Chloe, high school rodeoed and is now college rodeoing for McNeese State University. In 2019, breakaway roping was held for the first time at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo, and Chloe was crowned the first ever reserve champion breakaway roper at the Daddy of em’ All. Millie is excited to get her pro card this year, and pro rodeo with Chloe and her cousins Shane and Sydnie Frey and Ryan Thibodeaux.
Mio and Sandy are two horses that have a special place in Millie’s heart and play a big role in her life. Mio is the sorrel cutting horse that Millie has now trained to breakaway rope on. Sandy is the barrel and pole horse Millie got her freshman year. She says, “Sandy is an all-around great horse. She can do all the events, and I can even work cows on her.”
Tami Burkland is a successful barrel racer and jockey that Millie looks up to. She has taught Millie almost everything she knows about barrel racing. Millie admires her dad and 8-time PRCA world champion, Joe Beaver. “They both had great careers and won so much, and they still aren’t finished yet. It amazes me all the things they do to help the next generation succeed and give back to the sport of rodeo.”
Millie is most proud of winning multiple go rounds at nationals, and finishing in the top of the round in girls cutting the summer of her freshman and junior year. Almost all of the Frey family has been a member of the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association at one point in time. As Millie ends her high school rodeo career, she is thankful for all the friendships she has made through the LHSRA and NHSRA. This year Millie is shooting to win the LHSRA All-Around Cowgirl, and hopefully win a national title. She has big dreams of carrying on the Frey family rodeo legacy and making to the college finals and NFR one day. Millie has no doubt she can accomplish her goals, and she truly believes in God’s plan for her. “Always make sure you are not the weapon formed against yourself causing you not to prosper.” She says she always remembers this to remind herself not to get in her own way of success. That with confidence in herself, her horses, and God, everything will work out how it’s supposed to.
After high school, Millie plans to attend Texas A&M or McNeese State University and college rodeo. She plans to get a degree in pre-med, and go to PA school to specialize in dermatology. Millie says she is so grateful her family raised her in the rodeo arena. “It’s been hard to balance two different life styles going to an all-girl Catholic school. I’ve had to sacrifice a lot for rodeo, but it has taught me how to work hard to reach my goals, and it has led me to so many connections. I wouldn’t trade this life I live for anything.” Millie says thank you to her parents for getting her down the road, her sisters for always challenging one another, Equine Catalyst for keeping her horses feeling great, and Resistol for allowing her to be part of such a great team. Millie says, “I am truly blessed to have a support system like this, and I can’t thank them enough for all they do.”
