Jul 05, 2017 7:05 PM
25-year-old Austin Levi Burdick passed away unexpectedly on June 26, at home in Flint Hill, Virginia. Born December 20, 1991 in Warrenton, Virginia, Fauquier Now described Austin as an “entrepreneur, artist and professional polo player. He was homeschooled by his parents, achieved a second-degree black belt in tae kwan do, earned his Eagle Scout badge with three palms, graduated from the University of Virginia and was well respected for his strength of character, good nature, and sense of humor.”
“He was all that is good in this world,” said family friend Dori Haller Burner, “thoughtful, kind, compassionate, and honorable. He was old beyond his years.”
Austin participated in both interscholastic and intercollegiate polo at the Virginia Polo Center in Charlottesville, Virginia. Following graduation, he worked towards becoming a professional in the sport and established his own business in equine mortuary. A regular player at Twilight Polo at Great Meadow Polo Club in The Plains, Virginia, Great Meadow released this statement:
“Great Meadow Polo Club is devastated to hear about the passing of Austin Burdick. He was an especially nice guy of great character and an amazing polo player that everyone enjoyed watching at Twilight Polo. He was loved by everyone and it was a pleasure to have him be a part of our polo family. He will always be remembered here at Great Meadow Polo and Twilight Polo will never be the same without him. Words cannot express the heartache we feel for his family and loved ones. Our love, thoughts, and prayers are with you.”Austin is predeceased by his mother, Jane C. Burdick in 2015. He is survived by his father, Todd Burdick and his twin brother, Tyler. A Funeral Mass was held on Monday, July 3, at St. Peter Catholic Church near Washington, Virginia. Memorial contributions may be made to the Austin Burdick Memorial Polo Scholarship fund, c/o Todd Burdick, 13296 Crest Hill Road, Flint Hill, Va. 22627.
The USPA and the entire polo community send our love and support to the Burdick family and friends during this devastating time. You not alone in your grief as we collectively mourn the loss of a polo player taken too young.
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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