Hard Driving Bev: Interview with Trainer, Joe McCarl, Part II

In 2006, I did an interview with professional trainer, Joe McCarl about his multiple wild bird champion, Hard Driving Bev. Her wins included all three national championships on grouse: the 2002 National Amateur Grouse Championship (while Joe was still an amateur), the 2003 Grand National Grouse Championship and the 2006 National Grouse & Woodcock Championship. The interview ran in the Fall 2006 issue of Field Trial Magazine and was reprinted here on Strideaway in 2008.

Hard Driving Bev: Interview with Trainer, Joe McCarl, Part I

The podcast interview is in two parts due to size restraints. Thanks to Joe for taking the time to talk about his ten year field trial journey with his great champion. Joe also tells of his experiences with field trial dogs in general and what he thinks distinguishes one kind of field trial dog from another.

SA Podcast25_Joe McCarl_HDB_1
SA Podcast25_Joe McCarl_HDB_2

Part II of this interview with Joe was conceived of at the end of Hard Driving Bev’s long career. Joe and I could not find a convenient time to get together so I finally sent him my recorder along with an outline of questions. As I was active in this year’s effort to have Bev elected to the Field Trial Hall of Fame, this two-part podcast interview was put on hold until after the 2014 voting.

Hard Driving Bev’s began to her illustrious career by winning the 2002 National Amateur Grouse
Championship at Marienville, PA.

Part II of the interview with Joe begins with Bev’s win of the Minnesota Grouse Championship
held at Mora, MN in September of 2006.

A month later she and Joe won the Grand National Grouse Championship for a second
time. The championship was held at Marienville, PA.

Bev daughters from back to back litters winning the Reuel Henry Pietz Derby Classic
held on Minnesota’s Mora grounds, 2008.

Bev’s last win prior to her retirement, the 2009 Ontario Grouse Championship
held at State College, PA.

Hard Driving Bev on the North Dakota prairie where she was run off 4-wheeler or horse.

Bev spent many a winter in Texas. She was a favorite to shoot over on the Box P Ranch
near Jayton.

Bev pointing running quail on the Cooper Mountain Ranch near Snyder, Texas, 2008.

Littermates from Bev’s second litter as derbies in Texas.

Champion Erin’s Special Force competing in the 2012 National Championship.

For more information on Hard Driving Bev: 7x Champion Hard Driving Bev