The Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team made history with their debut at the 8th Annual Atlanta Polo Party during the 2025 Soul Symphony Weekend—claiming a thrilling 4–3 victory over the Starr Creek Polo Club from Cumming, Georgia.
Led by Caleb Choice-Sanchez, Syncere Poole, Declan Fitzpatrick, Ryland Hammond, Mikel Banks, and Quinn Ramsey, the six-member squad represents the first all-Black high school polo team in the nation. Co-founded by celebrity designer Miguel Wilson through his Ride to the Olympics Foundation, the program was built to shatter barriers and create access for Black youth in equestrian sports traditionally closed to them.
“For too long, a socioeconomic wall has kept our community out of polo,” said Wilson. “This is about changing that narrative—giving our students exposure, confidence, and opportunity beyond the field.”
Supported by 100 Black Men of Atlanta and Atlanta’s BEST Academy, the team receives full sponsorship for riding lessons, uniforms, and equipment through Wilson’s foundation. Events like Soul Symphony Weekend and the Atlanta Polo Party fund these efforts, helping nurture a new generation of athletes and leaders.
Guests at the weekend’s events included Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and numerous celebrities.
All proceeds benefit the Ride to the Olympics Foundation, which continues to create youth polo teams nationwide. Learn more at ridetotheolympics.org.
