( ENSPIRE Sports ) Wilson’s Ride To The Olympics Foundation Raises Money Through The Soul Symphony Weekend For The Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team
Miguel Wilson, a celebrity fashion designer, made history in 2019 by co-founding the Morehouse Polo Club, the first polo team at a historically Black college. Since then, he has focused on creating more youth polo teams for Black students across the country. One primary example is his co-founding of the polo team at the Atlanta BEST Academy, the first-ever all-Black high school team. The students with no prior polo experience, after two years, have now competed and secured a victory in their first match. The young athletes had a competitive debut at the 8th Annual Atlanta Polo Party during the 2025 Soul Symphony Weekend. Through Wilson’s nonprofit, the Ride to the Olympics Foundation, in partnership with the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and Atlanta’s BEST Academy, the team is given financial support to cover the costs of riding lessons, horse rentals, uniforms, equipment, and more.
Caleb Choice-Sanchez, Syncere Poole, Declan Fitzpatrick, Ryland Hammond, Mikel Banks, and Quinn Ramsey led the Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team to a 4-3 victory over the Starr Creek Polo Club from Cumming, Georgia. “We are making history, and these young men are blazing a trail that we hope others will follow,” Wilson said. “For too long, a socioeconomic barrier has kept most Black people from participating in polo and other equestrian sports. My foundation was created to dismantle that barrier, providing these students with access to the skills and opportunities that come with it. It’s about more than just a game; it’s about leveling the playing field.” From Sept 19 to Sept 21, the 2025 Soul Symphony Weekend took place. It was reimagined around the Annual Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic, featuring a star-studded lineup of events, including a black-tie gala, a live fashion show, and polo matches. The main attractions included Black-Tie Soul Symphony and the Annual Atlanta Polo Party.
Wilson shares his inspiration for the high school-level polo team at Atlanta BEST Academy and the challenges posed by the athletes’ rapid development in polo. He also comments on the mentorship and cultural prep provided to ensure the students feel prepared and confident in the sport. Additionally, he delves into the balance between glamour and support for young athletes through events such as the Soul Symphony Weekend and the Annual Atlanta Polo Party. Lastly, Wilson shares his ultimate vision for this program and how it will help future athletes interested in polo.
After establishing the first HBCU team at Morehouse, what was the driving force behind focusing on the high school level with the Atlanta BEST Academy, and how does this initiative specifically work to dismantle the socioeconomic barrier?
After co-founding the Morehouse Polo Club, my focus shifted to making a positive impact on a younger generation. Our unwavering goal is to use polo as a vehicle to create a productive outlet and provide opportunities for youth.
Involving high school students in polo comes at a pivotal time in their lives. We’ve seen participants turn challenging behavior around, using the discipline of the sport to get back on the right track. Furthermore, we are committed to helping these young players achieve college scholarships.
Equestrian sports are inherently expensive. Unlike lower-cost sports like football or basketball, where expenses primarily cover gear and fees, polo requires payments for horses (ownership or rental), practice facilities, and extensive equipment for both the player and the horse. Even essential gear, like required protective helmets, is costly and designed to withstand the impact of a fall from a moving horse.
Every one of our players began without prior riding experience, necessitating extensive riding lessons before they could even begin polo practice. When you account for these costs, the socioeconomic barrier to participation becomes clear. That’s why the Ride to the Olympics Foundation absorbs these significant expenses, ensuring that any motivated kid can play.
Could you describe the most significant challenge in the young athletes’ rapid development, and what was your personal reaction to watching the Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team win their first polo game?
Most of the players had never ridden a horse before joining the team, and despite their enthusiasm, there was understandable initial fear. Riding a horse is fundamentally different from driving a bicycle or a car; you are dealing with a live, sentient animal with its own will. This required a profound commitment from our players, who had to dedicate themselves to learning how to safely interact with and care for a horse, building trust and respect for the animal. They also had to master the technical skills required just to ride before they could even begin learning the sport of polo.
After two years of intense effort and dedication, the Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team was ready to compete. The moment the team won their first competitive match was one of immense pride—a payoff for all that hard work.
What made this victory truly significant was that the team they defeated was composed of players who had been riding since childhood, kids who never faced the socioeconomic barriers our students had to overcome.
It shows that hard work, commitment, and mentorship can successfully level a playing field defined by wealth and historic exclusion. The victory proves that an all-Black team can be highly competitive and excel in one of the world’s oldest and most exclusive sports.
Beyond the funding accumulated by The Ride to the Olympics Foundation, what mentorship or cultural preparation does it provide to ensure the students feel confident and prepared to enter a sport that has historically excluded the Black community?
The success of the Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team is a direct result of a unique and powerful partnership. It operates on a “village” model designed to surround each student with unwavering support, ensuring their success extends far beyond the polo field. This effective collaboration unites the Ride to the Olympics Foundation (RTO), Atlanta BEST Academy, and the 100 Black Men of Atlanta.
The synergistic support provided by each partner creates an unparalleled environment for student-athlete development. While Atlanta BEST Academy’s primary focus is academic excellence, the school faculty is deeply invested in the holistic development of the players. They actively support the students’ success on the polo field, recognizing the role the sport plays in building discipline and confidence.
100 Black Men of Atlanta is a critical partner that provides extensive leadership mentorship and guidance. They equip the young men with the necessary life tools to become successful adult leaders, involving themselves in the academic progress and on-field success of each player.
Also, as a 58-year-old man with extensive experience in business and life, I have the privilege of participating directly in their development. I not only mentor their growth as polo players but also impart valuable wisdom, knowledge, and life experience, actively providing opportunities to contribute to their long-term success.
Crucially, the parents are highly engaged, reinforcing the positive values and commitment instilled by the organizations and strengthening the support network at home.
This detailed partnership highlights the fact that the team’s mentorship and support come from an entire village singularly interested in their success. It’s designed to equip these young men to navigate not just a sport historically lacking in Black representation, but a world that is systemically challenging for Black people. This crucial preparation is intentionally layered across their environment: in their homes, their schools, and their communities.
How do you balance the glamour and pageantry of events like the Soul Symphony Weekend and the Annual Atlanta Polo Party with the core mission of providing support for these youth athletes?
Eight years ago, I created the Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic, which was entirely interconnected with the mission of the Ride to the Olympics Foundation. The event served as our primary annual fundraiser for seven years, but its vision extends far beyond the field—it was a powerful showcase of Black excellence and achievement.
This year, we reimagined the Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic as Soul Symphony Weekend, with an Atlanta Polo Party to keep up the tradition of the classic, which many have enjoyed over the years.
While polo is the centerpiece, we are deeply committed to ensuring Black representation is visible and celebrated. We actively recruit Black polo players from across the country and even overseas to compete, challenging the traditional image of the sport. We also provide a platform where young Black athletes and attendees can see themselves reflected on the field and feel comfortable and celebrated in an environment intentionally designed for them.
This is an experience you won’t find anywhere else. It is the only event of its kind where attendees can enjoy a high-stakes polo match set against a backdrop of Hip-Hop music and high fashion. I wanted an environment that is both luxurious and culturally relevant. We intentionally weave Black culture into every detail. We feature Black performers, showcase Black designers, provide food from Black chefs, and partner with Black-owned businesses.
For the Soul Symphony, we provided a 20-piece Black orchestra and a Black opera singer to perform. We also featured an internationally known Black pianist from the UK, who made his U.S. debut at our event.
This deliberate approach celebrates and demonstrates that Black culture can be inherently luxurious, sophisticated, and powerful. By seamlessly blending the discipline of polo with the energy of contemporary culture, we’re redefining luxury while directly funding opportunities for the next generation.
What is the ultimate vision for this program, and what can future athletes expect when learning polo?
The vision is to create more high school teams using the Atlanta BEST Academy team as the blueprint. We’re already in the works of doing this, but our goal is to have several teams in different cities, not only compete against other teams but also against each other.
Community support matters, so what we see with the Atlanta BEST Academy team regarding building a community of support, we’re working to partner with other organizations to create a similar situation for the teams we create in other cities.
The ultimate vision is to significantly expand the RTO’s impact by creating multiple new high school polo teams across the nation, using the highly successful Atlanta BEST Academy team as the definitive blueprint. We are already underway with this expansion. Our immediate goal is to establish several competitive teams in major cities across the country. This national network will serve to provide a clear, low-barrier pathway to equestrian sports for underrepresented youth in new urban areas.
Not only will these teams compete against traditional polo clubs, but we also plan to have them compete against each other, fostering a supportive and exciting sense of rivalry within the RTO program pipeline. This structured competition is vital for developing elite skills and confidence.
This expansion hinges on one non-negotiable factor: community support matters. The extraordinary success of the Atlanta BEST Academy team is rooted in the powerful partnership among RTO, the school, the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, and dedicated parents. To ensure the same level of holistic development and stability for new teams, we are actively working to partner with organizations in other cities.
The 2025 Soul Symphony Weekend and Atlanta Polo Party were attended by guests of honor, Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. Other notable guests included television personalities such as Chris and Nell Fletcher (Love & Marriage: Huntsville), Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson (Married to Real Estate), Dr. Heavenly Kimes (Married to Medicine), Monyetta Shaw (The Real Housewives of Atlanta), and Toya Johnson-Rushing (Toya & Reginae). Actors Clifton Powell, Palmer Williams, and Rob Riley were also in attendance, alongside musicians Kevin Ross, Pastor Troy, and Q Parker. The list of guests also included national television host Portia Bruner and community leaders such as Pastor Jamal Bryant, Bishop Vance Oldes, and Morris Brown President Dr. Kevin James. All proceeds from the Soul Symphony Weekend will benefit the Ride to the Olympics Foundation, which will provide financial support to the Polo team. For more information on Wilson’s foundation, visit https://www.ridetotheolympics.org/.
Related Articles: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Young Jeezy, Cynthia Bailey, Egypt Sherrod, and more attend Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic, Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic: A Weekend of Fashion, Sports, and Philanthropy.
