Raised in Kansas City, Kansas, Michaela Frye grew up caring for horses every day. By first grade, she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian.

Now a senior at Missouri State University, Frye is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. Although she considered a career in human medicine, she ultimately chose to work with animals.

“For some in our community, animals are a major part of their livelihood,” she said.

Joining the United States Pony Clubs

While boarding her pony, Marco, at a community barn in 2014, she met older students involved in the United States Pony Clubs (USPC). She became friends with them and joined the Mill Creek Pony Club in Kansas City in third grade.

Founded in 1954, the USPC is now the largest equine education organization in North America. With no age limit, anyone can learn to ride, care for horses and compete around the world.

What Frye enjoys most about USPC is how all members cheer on younger competitors.

“One day, they may compete internationally like us,” she said.

At her first ever competition in 2014 at Longview Horse Park, Marco bucked her off several times during the morning practice. One of the older students let Frye borrow her pony, so she could still compete. That day, Frye fell in love with both competing and the Pony Club community.

Competing in Australia

Every two years, members worldwide meet for the three-week Pony Club International Alliance Tetrathlon Exchange (PCIA). The USPC sends two teams of four riders: a girls’ team and a boys’ team. A tetrathlon tests competitors in four events:

• Running 2 kilometers.
• Swimming 200 meters.
• Shooting laser pistols at a 10-meter target.
• Horseback riding and jumping 95-centimeter obstacles.

Frye prepared for the exchange during the fall and spring semesters. Each week she ran four times, swam about five times and rode her horse, Bermuda, five times. She also practiced shooting for 15-20 minutes a day.

The demanding routine has taught her the importance of mental strength.

“It feels like I’m dying since I’m giving everything I’ve got … it takes perseverance to keep going,” she said.

The most challenging part is balancing school and practice. But all that hard work has taken Frye around the world. She competed in the PCIA Tetrathlon Exchange in Ireland and the United Kingdom in 2024 before traveling to Australia this summer.

On July 11 and 12, the Loxbuild International Tetrathlon took place in Mudgeeraba, Australia. Frye competed and earned the top title of “Overall Horsemanship for Female Riders.” Judges evaluated how competitors treated their horses and their position while riding.

“It’s humbling to know they thought I was the best rider,” she said.

Frye sees the award as recognition of the hard work she has put in over the years. Her parents were in the audience cheering her on, and her favorite quote from her mom was, “Go faster!”

While in Australia, Frye made the most of her trip by learning to surf and sandboard. She also got to pet kangaroos and, ironically, tried kangaroo sausage right after.

Time as a Bear

Back at Missouri State, Frye has stayed just as busy in and outside the classroom.

She is a member of the Honors College and Phi Kappa Phi, an honor society for the top 7.5% of juniors and the top 10% of seniors.

Her studies have also taken her beyond Missouri. In summer 2025, she studied abroad in Costa Rica with the Ecology Project International program, where she examined leatherback turtle nesting patterns and conducted research on local butterflies.

She also gained hands-on experience working with animals. As a freshman, she worked as a horse trainer. The next year, she worked as a kennel technician at Healing Paws Veterinary Clinic, where she monitored animals and assisted with medications.

Onward to vet school

Frye is ready to apply the skills she has gained from her studies, work experiences and competitions to her future career.

She believes the teamwork she learned will help her as a veterinarian.

“For tetrathlon, we compete as a team. As a veterinarian, you work as a team with technicians and clients to communicate and help each other,” she said.

After graduating next spring, Frye plans to pursue a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Her dream is to attend the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri.

She also plans to continue competing with Bermuda. She hopes to participate in the next tetrathlon in the United States in 2028.

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