Importing a Brenderup? And other euro trailer questions...

[ISR]

I have a Brenderup Royal 2003, and it’s coming to the point in it’s life when it needs a little TLC (mostly cosmetic). I’m getting to the point where I want a little more from my trailer, as I initially did not think I would be using a trailer very much (now using it 2x a week).

I have started my research on the BÖckmann and Fautras, but really still prefer the look of the newer Brenderups.

I would like a front window, ramp, external tack space, 2 horse straight, NO mechanical butt bar (seems like just one more thing that will break!). I don’t necessarily need the front off load. The BÖckmann appears to have the heaviest tongue weight of the 3 trailers, I would prefer the lightest available.

I realize buying these trailers new is very expensive, so i’m thinking that I may as well get exactly what I want out of it. So, does anyone have experience importing a Brenderup since they stopped distributing in the US? I wonder if the cost of importing is not prohibitively expensive? Are there any after market changes you have to perform on the trailer to make it road worthy in the US? I recall reading that Brenderups were partially assembled in the US before they shut down, wondering if there was a technical reason behind it or just ease of shipping?

Has anyone had experience with all 3 brands? Pros/cons?

[jules57]

I shipped our Boeckmann to the US when we got stationed in Florida in 2011. Bought it in Germany when we thought we’d be there awhile. Mother Air Force had other ideas. :mad:

Anyway, the two biggest obstacles I had to overcome was rewiring the trailer’s plug setup for the truck and getting the German title translated into English. When I took it to the DMV here they acted like it was written in Martian. I did an end run and got it licensed in Maine. :winkgrin: Avoided paying Florida taxes that way, too.

[Jim_in_PA]

You really have to weigh the cost of trans-oceanic shipping $$$$ vs going with the Böckmann at what likely will be a more attractive final cost, even if it’s not aesthetically ideal to you. Böckmann’s tongue weights are still at 250lbs or lower so I really wouldn’t worry that much about it. And minor mods you would need to do to a personal import are “nothing” compared to what that shipping might be.

[jn4jenny]

Basically, the only thing Simon Barr was importing from Brenderup in Denmark was the steel chassis and roll cage. Everything else was being assembled stateside. I don’t know if there was a technical reason; I suspect it was simply “parts take up less space in a shipping container than fully assembled trailers.”

For Brenderup, have you considered finding a used (but still newer) B’up somewhere in North America and pay to have it have it hauled to you? It would sure be cheaper than importing one, even if you had to retrofit it a little.
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/nvn/grd/4336658259.html
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=536433
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=525524
http://ocala.craigslist.org/grq/4383673448.html

If you wanted to have a serious chat about import costs, Gena Ram at European Horse Trailers in North Carolina is probably your best source. She’s the US rep for Fautras, so she deals with the import costs all the time. If you have not already, it might be worth discussing the the St. Georges Imara with her, too. It’s very similar to a B’up Royal, although the Imara is a step-up trailer and I don’t know if they’d add a ramp if you asked. There’s an option to add a tack locker.
http://europeanequestriantrailers.com/
http://www.vans-stgeorges.com/index.php?page=modeles&modele=imarasport
http://www.vans-stgeorges.com/index.php?page=options

I can’t tell you the price on the Imara, but I inquired about the St. Georges Nuno 1.5-horse and was told roughly $12K-$13K depending on which optional equipment I wanted. And I saw some base-model Imaras listed in 2012 for about $13,000 starting cost.

[GA_Horse]

You are probably looking at $2k-$3k to ship from Denmark to the USA depending on the origin and destination ports as well as your final destination. But those new Brenderups sure look sweet!
http://www.brenderup.dk/forside-5/kampagner-hestetrailere.aspx

[ISR]

I received some very insightful info from Travlled lane trailers in MD. They use to carry the Brenderups, then carried the Fautras and Bockmann. Ultimately they found customers preferred the Bockmanns, so stopped carrying the Fautras altogether. The 7’8" standard height on the Bockmanns and more room forward of the chest bars than the Fautras is ultimately what people preferred.

They aren’t cheap. Roughly 16k for the champion R, but that’s about what I was expecting. There was a late model Brenderup baron with the Insta tack feature for sale near me last year, and they were asking 12k. I know these trailers hold their value, but I think for the price I would prefer to just buy new since used Bockmanns are very close to full retail anyway!

I did check out the St Georges, but don’t really love the body. I don’t know if there is a retailer in MD, but I would like to test drive the trailer, and like not to travel too far to do so.

I think the DH who is an electrical engineer could re-wire the trailer, and if I could get a container for about 2-3k it would be able the same price as a Bockmann. I guess next step is to test drive a Bockmann and go from there.

My biggest gripe about my current trailer aside from the lack of storage, is the “pin” for the butt bar. It’s almost comical, just a thin loop of metal attached to a piece of rubber. I would like a more user friendly butt bar with more substantial pin (like those in a more conventional 2 horse trailer).

[Jim_in_PA]

St Georges and Fautras are the same root company.

And yes, the Böckmann trailers are really nice products. Jon and Suzie are very nice about “test tows”, so get yourself back to Traveled Lane and bring your checkbook. LOL

[Austin_Rider]

Never heard of a 1.5-horse trailer. What does it mean exactly?

[QUOTE=jn4jenny;7489181]
Basically, the only thing Simon Barr was importing from Brenderup in Denmark was the steel chassis and roll cage. Everything else was being assembled stateside. I don’t know if there was a technical reason; I suspect it was simply “parts take up less space in a shipping container than fully assembled trailers.”

For Brenderup, have you considered finding a used (but still newer) B’up somewhere in North America and pay to have it have it hauled to you? It would sure be cheaper than importing one, even if you had to retrofit it a little.
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/nvn/grd/4336658259.html
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=536433
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=525524
http://ocala.craigslist.org/grq/4383673448.html

If you wanted to have a serious chat about import costs, Gena Ram at European Horse Trailers in North Carolina is probably your best source. She’s the US rep for Fautras, so she deals with the import costs all the time. If you have not already, it might be worth discussing the the St. Georges Imara with her, too. It’s very similar to a B’up Royal, although the Imara is a step-up trailer and I don’t know if they’d add a ramp if you asked. There’s an option to add a tack locker.
http://europeanequestriantrailers.com/
http://www.vans-stgeorges.com/index.php?page=modeles&modele=imarasport
http://www.vans-stgeorges.com/index.php?page=options

I can’t tell you the price on the Imara, but I inquired about the St. Georges Nuno 1.5-horse and was told roughly $12K-$13K depending on which optional equipment I wanted. And I saw some base-model Imaras listed in 2012 for about $13,000 starting cost.[/QUOTE]

[jn4jenny]

[QUOTE=Austin Rider;7494478]
Never heard of a 1.5-horse trailer. What does it mean exactly?[/QUOTE]

They’re designed to be wide enough for a mare + a foal. I have never used one that way, but that’s how they got the name. Most people use 1.5-horse models as 1-horse trailers.

[TrakHack]

I’ve had my Fautras Provan Premium for three weeks and I am kind of in love. I downsized from Brenderup Baron that I very much liked after deciding I didn’t want to get a bigger vehicle to pull it. The Baron is great with a full size SUV, car, or truck, but I’ve got a mid-size SUV.

I haven’t seen a Böckmann in person, but they sound like very nice trailers. The Fautras is ideal for me and my Norwegian Fjord - extremely easy for one person to operate, a butt bar that is more of a flat panel than a bar (which is nice when your equine is a stout 14.2hh}, a floor that is designed to have a very low step up/off, and the option to walk off the front. Each of these specific features is something that make life a lot better for both me and my horse, but if you don’t need them they may just be “nice to haves”. I was concerned about the mechanics of the AID butt bar system, but after using it I realised it’s very simple, and I don’t think repairs will be complicated if they are ever needed.

There are two things I don’t like about the Fautras:

1. I wish the tack compartment were mounted on the right side instead of the left. I can probably change this pretty easily.
2. You can take the divider out, but this removes the latches for the butt bars and breast bars. You could put a horse in the open trailer, but there would be no restraints front or back. I believe in France you can get full width breast and butt bars, but I haven’t seen anything about them stateside.

[Jim_in_PA]

I really liked the Fautras Provan Premium. My one concern was the stall length which measured much shorter than I expected it to be. Even the dealer agreed that it wouldn’t have been appropriate for my 16.1h and 16.2h horses. Outside of that, I really felt it was a quality product.

[tripletrouble]

After checking out several trailer options I decided to look into horse-van’s. I like the look of the Theault 2 horse Euro-styled trucks but some British and European 2 horse models also have compact living area’s which appeals to me.

The thought of having a small gas hob/sink/microwave kitchen w/mini fridge is great but the real winner is some even have a small lav with potty and sink which also can serve as a changing/dressing room. This would certainly beat waiting in lines at PortaPotties or lines at concession stands for a cold drink and sit down.

Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Probably not to most but it sould be to me.

[Chaila]

I got a Boeckmann Duo up in Canada at Maple Lane. They were super helpful and I was able to get a used one at half what they are selling for in the US. Importing was no big deal. Just an extra half hour at the NY border. It’s a nice little trailer. I haven’t taken my horse anywhere in it yet because winter hit right away. But I just hooked it up after the winter and took it for a test spin around the block and she’s good to go. Hoping to take her for her inaugural run this week.