ProFile: Sydney Frey

Sydney Frey, daughter of NFR bareback rider, Shawn Frey, won the barrel racing at the Junior American, held in Fort Worth, Texas. Her efforts against 155 barrel races won her $10,000 and a Twister 2 horse trailer, a beautiful buckle, and a Resistol 100x hat. “It’s another great opportunity for kids my age to go after the money they put up,” said the Marlow, Oklahoma, cowgirl who plans to put the money back. “If I had it right now, I’d probably go shopping.” Sydney started running barrels at the age of five, with her mom (Gaye) leading her. “I was really involved with dancing at that age, but I didn’t get serious until my sixth grade year. I started Oklahoma Junior High and I wanted to make nationals. I quit dance and after one year I quit basketball and it was full on rodeo.”
Gaye ran barrels, making the Prairie Circuit Finals. “My mom, she didn’t get to do what she wanted to do in the rodeo career, when she had her kids she let us live our dream.”
Sydney is riding the Great Guns on Dakota. “I call him Jax – that’s what his name was when we got him and I heard its bad luck to change names. I’ve had him for a year now – we bought him from Kelly Yates. I finished out my high school year with him – won the average at the Oklahoma State High School Finals – and then we placed at some pro rodeos in Colorado, Sterling and Lamar, and he filled my permit.”
Sydney has taken this year off from college to pursue her dream of being PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year. “I’m going for it. I’m doing ok, I’ve hit some barrels so I need to do better, but that’s part of it and I’m going to keep going.”
She travels mostly with her mom and dad. Her older brother also competes as a steer wrestler. Her dad trades cattle and ranches and made the NFR three times, ‘88, ‘89, ‘90. “It’s changed a bunch since then. He’s a good driver though.”
“I thank the Good Lord above first all, and my family, who has gotten me here and I thank Kelly Yates and I thank my vet, Robbin Johnson – she’s kept my horses all together and she’s a phone call away.”
She also thanks her sponsors, Stierwalt Superflex, Team Resistol, and Team Tres Rios.