The year 2011  had its shares of highs and lows

It was a soul searching year and more about the people we know and the people we are.
I lost my sister Marion to cancer. It has been the most devastating experience my family has gone through and there will be an eternal emptiness and pain.

How does one cope with a loss of this magnitude, the loss of a child, best sister, best friend?  Only with the power of love.
Besides our friends in South Africa and The Netherlands I would like to thank our friends from the United States of America for their intense support. 25 years of sharing our campfire with old and new clients, where Stan and I usually tend to take care of the wishes and dreams of our guests, came back to us in the most amazing way. A tsunami of love.

2011 was good too. The amount of wonderful guests visiting our little paradise provided the highs.
Kendall Hoxsey was the first hunter of the season. This bright young lady took some super trophies and became part of our family, enjoying some of our good South African wines too. Compliments to Andy and Nancy on such a fine daughter.
Lynn and Steve Pedigo, two most beautiful people, honoured us with another hunting and photographic safari this year. Steve took a grand slam of springbuck in the Karoo. Just look at the grin on this man’s face in the hall of fame! They loved the company of our son Sebastian, calling it the highlight of the trip.

Joe and Gale Ferguson joined Lynn and Steve on a fabulous self drive trip to Modjadjie rainforest, Pafuri in the Kruger park and Mashatu in Botswana.

Brenda and Doug Coats had been flirting with the idea of an African safari for many years and finally made the jump. Doug was hard to convince that you didn’t have to shoot the first buck in sight, and went home with 2 kudu bulls. While Doug had the hunt of a lifetime, Brenda entertained herself with Elephant back safaris, horseback rides, crocodiles and a visit to Madikwe to see lions and elephants in the wild.
Paul Harmon returned to Africa after his last visit with his brother and dad 3 years ago, this time with his three girls, Sandie, Emily and Kady. Emily quickly turned into a dedicated hunter, under guidance of our professional hunter Sebastian Jonker (not to be confused with Sebastian Burger). Paul, great companion as ever, bagged a beautiful bushbuck, zebra and nyala on the same day, causing some frustration with wife Sandie left wondering ‘how much fun hunting actually is’. It took no more than 2 days before Sandie suddenly decided to start hunting, taking a zebra and even a massive eland bull. I swear….

2011 saw Dan and Betty Brewster returning for the 6th time. What is wrong with these people? It’s the power of love. They brought good friend Gary Hartzell who wanted to come so badly for many years and finally made it. We had such a ball with this young man. Great hunter, great sport and very funny. Gary is one of the few Americans who is interested in Rugby, the rougher and more manly equivalent of American football. Gary is a rugby referee too. He organized to ref a match in Rustenburg, at a mining company. When he arrived there, with his fan club Eeva, Susannah and Corli, it appeared to be an all blacks match and little Gary had to run for his life in this fast moving Rugby game. He had the unbelievable luck to even meet the CEO of the National Rugby Association, Danie Roux, during our trip to the Karoo.

Betty and Dan were present in the Karoo too and Betty got a grand slam of springbuck. Both Susannah and Sebastian were given the opportunity to hunt their first big game animal, a springbuck, thanks to Izak and Jules Theron. Dan and Betty have been with us since 1996, seen us grow and now experienced one of the proudest moments parents go through. One day, our little Sebastian (7) will be the ph for their grandsons Rian and Nick (6 and 4). We all hope to be there.

Taylor Johnson worked at Iwamanzi for a few weeks introducing us to the world of social media by setting up facebook for the businesses. The kids just fell in love with Taylor and we surprised her with a springbuck first blood. Madam took a zebra to end off a life changing experience. Jill and Paul better start planning to come to Africa with us to stop the nagging.

Let me tell you about the Searles. Ann Searles attended the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for the first time in her life in March 2011. Never hunted, never came to Africa. During the ladies luncheon, Ann bid on Stan Burger Safaris donation hunt and made it very clear. She wanted this trip. Her globetrotting parents soon joined and after 4300 questions from Pat, they arrived in the month of July.
In the meantime Ann had taken some shooting lessons and decided to go for the ghost of the bushveld herself, the kudu.  We will have to see you back, Ann.

During their stay we had a mishap at the lodge. Our little boy tried to keep his mommy a bit warmer and piled on the wood in the fire place, too high. Soon the smoke started coming out of the roof and the chimney was smoking. Ann, Leon, Pat and Bob were old fire fighters; you should have seen them in action with us. Ladders, hosepipes, 2 inch of water in the lodge, Ann mopping, Pat consoling Sebastian, good advice from Bob and Leon, our staff all over and our luck that there was no wind, saved the day (and the lodge).

Our Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Loyalists were omni present again this year. Besides the Searles, Brewsters, Coats, Hoxseys and Pedigo’s, it was Tinker and John Frazier’s dream coming true to come to Africa with us. Both Tinker and John took stunning trophies and it was an absolute pleasure to have them at our dinner table. A lot of our friends from overseas help us with charity projects for the disadvantaged people in Africa, via various projects Stan Burger Safaris and Iwamanzi support or organise. Tinker and John were extremely generous and came with a big blue SCI bag full of necessities. We visited the township kindergarden, the vegetable garden project and played mother Christmas in August in the squatter camp. We started a jewellery making project at Iwamanzi.

Jimmy Godbee, great RMEF volunteer, honoured us with his 2nd safari, this time taking a bushbuck, nyala and huge waterbuck. He was lucky on the mulligans too. His wit and incredible knowledge about everything, kept us entertained. Jim, we will see you in Africa again in 2013.
Diane and Jim Fullford trusted us with organizing a 4 week photographic safari encompassing  through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia. From Iwamanzi to Vic Falls by Rovos Rails, makoro rides in Jao at the Okavango Delta, Cape Town and winelands, what an incredible journey exploring Southern Africa and all it has to offer. We just have to plan the  early morning winds for the balloon ride… We will see Jim and his son back this year for a father and son hunting safari.  

Good friend and Iwamanzi-addict Karen Diener lightened up the month of October, accompanied by Katy Littlefield, another one of those bright young women.

I thank our staff for pulling their weight during the hectic hunting months and made it happen. Praying for us, fasting for Mar. The power of love.
Life is good. Thanks to my fantastic family, Stan, Susannah, Sebastian, my parents Ria and Lex, Rick and Ingrid. Thanks to our friends all around the world.  What would we do without each other. The power of love, that’s all it is.

Jacqueline