ABOUT BONOGIN
VALLEY HORSE RETREAT

– Debbie Burgermeister
Inspired by her parents that have given her with a wonderful life of growing up with horses and farm life! Also blessed with a family of her own and loving husband to establish the balance between country and city living.

A rare upbringing these days to be given the broad exposure of working with sheep, cattle, cropping and farm equipment that school cannot educate on the practical expertise gained growing up in this way. Responsibilities away from technology and being able to appreciate the outdoors and everything it has to offer.

Now with twins, running her own business, managing a household, fitness and involved in a sport unique to all others (horses and polocrosse)! Starting her horse riding school business to be a stay-at-home mum and to have a business that would support family and hobby lifestyle. Her passion is horses and educating people to start with horses safely and confidently. Giving people a unique stress free, sense of freedom activity.

Blessed with a loving family upbringing on a farm to learn practical life skills and many great horsemanship skills from a very talented horseman, her father, teaching her to break in horses over 30 years ago in the natural way and being able to ride horses to compete up to state level championships.

Debbie is Your Horse Riding Coach With A Difference through her ability to achieve a high focus on development with strong attention to body technique from exposure to both Western and English riding. Starting with pony club and moving into the show ring, dressage, jumping, camp-drafting, barrel racing and polocrosse.

One of Deb?s most memorable moments (apart from marrying her husband Mark of course), was performing in the breathtaking 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony on the 15th of September with 120 musical riders. Experience the excitement with this video:

There has been some significant media coverage over the years for both Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat as well as our miracle twins who were Brisbane Mater Hospital ambassadors. Simply click to watch or hear any of the items below:

Our twins were born at only 25 weeks gestation, nearly 4 months too early. Due to be born end of March 2010, they came into the world mid December 2009. The average weight of a baby at birth is 3500g. Jackson weighed 810g and Keira 560g (about the weight of a tub of margarine).

They were so small, they could each fit into Dad?s hand.

Jackson & Keira are true survivors. At birth they were given less than 70% chance of living. And if they lived, there was a 20% chance of a major physical or mental disability.

During their first 12 weeks, they were either diagnosed or closely monitoring development of challenges associated with very young premmies; chronic lung disease, hyaline membrane disease, jaundice, anaemia, reflux, hyperglycaemia, hypaglycaemia, retinopathy of prematurity (eye sight), further weight loss at birth, non-closure of heart duct, brain haemorrhaging, hearing and lots more. Each of the above was a battle one after the other at different weeks of their lives. The miracle is that both of our babies fought and won virtually all of these battles.

They came home for the first time on Monday 22 March 2010 after spending their first 102 days of life (nearly 1/3 of a year) in the amazing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Brisbane Mater Mothers? Hospital as well 3 weeks at John Flynn Hospital Gold Coast.

We are so very proud of our babies. They have come a very long way. We would like to thank family, friends, staff and customers for their amazing support for what was an incredibly difficult time for Mum & Dad.

A very big thank you goes to the amazing group of doctors and nurses at NICU, a wonderful and dedicated group of people. Thank you for your support, time and amazing care of our children. A big thank you to the wonderful nurse who in the wee hours of Xmas morning placed near their cribs 2 Xmas cards; one from Jackson & one from Keira addressed to Mum & Dad. In them were real ink prints of their tiny feet. That will be a Xmas morning we will never forget for the rest of our lives.

Also thanks to Gaylene and crew at John Flynn Hospital. It was a short but memorable 3 weeks.

However, a special and greatest mention goes to one amazing person. Dr Luke Jardine, Neonatologist at NICU. Luke, thank you for saving their lives. You are an all-round exceptional human being & we are very grateful to have met you.

The first 3 months was daily crying as a mother, striving to produce breast milk for the increased chance of survival, so constantly attached to a pump feeling like a cow, literally crying over spilt milk and then the amazing joy of breastfeeding for the first time after 2 months from birth. Having to wait a month before we could hold our babies in our arms for the first time was so hard.

Overall the first 5 years for premmies and twins is a story of many sleepless nights, alot of crying as a mother, tough on your relationship and monthly hospital visits. Whenever they got a cold breathing support was required because their lungs weren?t strong enough to breath on their own through sickness, many ENT visits and multiple surgeries for poor Jackson with cysts on his throat and severe croup.

Our twins are now thriving and in full health to manage school, chess, drama, competitive gymnastics and horse riding.

I hope you enjoy the photos below which show a glimpse of our world in their early days December 2009 ? March 2010.

All our love,
Mark & Deb, Jackson & Keira

There has been some significant media coverage over the past 20 years for Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat, creating magical memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.. Simply click to watch or hear any of the items below:

Channel 7 “Great South East” segment

Channel 7 “QLD Weekender” Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat

Gold Coasts Hidden Jewels

Channel 9 Fundraising Charity Trail Ride

Channel 7 Sunrise Live from Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat