Big
Champion Series
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Model Summary: Big
news! A significant new model, the Big Champion E, was created in 2023. The
Big Champion E (or when we’re lazy, just “BCE”) has a groom door on each
side, abundant working space in front of each stall and a 2-door tack
compartment that allows the saddles to be easily accessed through either
groom door opening. And we’re pleased to report that those new groom doors
are taller. In addition, Böckmann’s popular 2-mode ramp/door was made a
standard feature with the Big Champion update.
These features,
particularly those 2 tall groom doors with better forward access, have
quickly made the Big Champion E one of our most popular models. In addition
to the pictures interspersed through this writeup, you’ll find buttons that
let you click to a photo gallery with additional BCE pictures. (We’re
showing it in popular colors, but more roof colors are available.)
What’s the
significance of the changes? The previous Big Champion, which was a very
nice trailer, had a single groom door in front of the right stall. The old
Big Champion’s asymmetric tack compartment gave more working space in front
of the right stall than the left.
In the BCE, with its 2
groom doors, you may enter equally easily from either side. By our tape,
there’s over 2’ of working space between chest bar and tack compartment on
each side. (Overall, there’s about 5’ of head space forward of the chest
bars.) Those groom doors are several inches taller than before for more
convenient access.
The Big Champion
gained a bit of body height as well. Most of the other models are a touch
over 7’6” tall, plenty comfortable for large horses. Body height on the
updated Big Champion is now about 7’8”, even more generous!
Unlike the earlier Big
Champions, the E’s tack compartment is symmetric. It’s curved and has two
tack doors within easy reach of the groom door openings. The saddle racks
are on a swiveling post so you may rotate them for access through either
tack door opening. This is Böckmann’s award-winning Saddle Carousel. But
wait, there’s more… The saddle racks extend so you can easily access your
saddles while standing at either groom door opening - you don’t need to
climb into the trailer to take them in or out.
We’re often asked the
difference between a Champion and a Big Champion, so we’ll say a few words
about that. Whereas the Champion is for 2 horses to 17 hands, the Big
Champion is for 2 horses to 18 hands. The Big Champion’s body is 4” wider
than that of the Champion and the Big Champion has several extra inches of
head space forward. As this update is prepared in early 2024, the Champion
still has the groom door on the right and an asymmetric tack compartment.
That is, there’s currently not a 2-groom-door Champion equivalent of the Big
Champion E.
The Big
Champion weighs about 2200 lbs, approximately 250 lbs. more than a Champion.
As with the Champion, the Big Champion is balanced so the loaded tongue
weight will not exceed 211 lbs., so it, too, can be pulled safely by
smaller-than-typical vehicles. Most of our Böckmann customers pull their
trailers with 6-cylinder SUVs and trucks (or the turbocharged 4-cylinders
that are taking the place of sixes in many vehicles). In countries where
fuel is much more expensive, people often use cars as their tow vehicles.
Böckmann has been building balanced, aerodynamic horse trailers since the
mid 1950s, so their easy-towing designs are well proven on roads all over
the world.
For suspension,
the Champion has torsion axles with shock absorbers, which give a fine ride,
but the Big Champion takes things a step further with the WCFPlus® coil
spring suspension (also with shock absorbers).
That’s a summary of
the differences. What they have in common are the anodized aluminum
interlocking-panel walls (picture how the logs are stacked in a cabin), the
easy-to-clean floor (the mat’s bonded to the extruded plank aluminum floor
and the edges are sealed; NO NEED TO LIFT A MAT!), quick & quiet &
adjustable Multi Safe System butt & chest bars (with external emergency
release), inertia-actuated mechanical brakes (no brake controller
required!), sealed wheel bearings and more. A more complete list of features
is on our Böckmann main page.
At the rear,
Böckmann’s 2-mode ramp/door was made a standard feature on the updated Big
Champion. You may lower the ramp/door as a ramp or swing it aside for
step-up loading or for loading pallets, round bales or other cargo.
The Big Champion E is
a model we stock regularly, so we invite you to stop by to see it for
yourself. (And if you have a suitable vehicle and are a safe driver, take a
test drive!)
(Please note:
Most of the features shown here are standard, but some trailers are shown
with options. We took most of these pictures. Those we didn’t take are
courtesy of Böckmann North America and Böckmann Fahrzeugwerke GmbH.)
