John Harkin was born in Convoy (Irish: Conmhaigh), a small village in the east of County Donegal, Ireland. With its population of just over 1,000, Convoy was once famous for its woollen mill located on the banks of the River Deele. The mill produced the finest worsted woollens for men’s suiting and orders of cloth went to tailors and businesses across the globe. Although the woollen mill closed in the 1980s, it now hosts a number of thriving businesses. In 1975, John married Edith and moved to Derry in Northern Ireland for 9 years before moving back to Convoy and raising a family of four children. A builder by trade, John suffered a serious injury several years ago which enforced upon him an early retirement. Being eternally positive, John thought "more time to work with my dogs."
In the 1980s when the building industry was in a slump, John took employment on a farm with 1500 breeding ewes and purchased his first unregistered dog. He trained this dog for farmwork and his fate was sealed. His interest in working sheepdogs grew from there. It wasn't until 1996 he purchased his first registered border collie pup which he trained himself. While on holiday in Wales, John met Anna Lou Daybell who helped him immensely, most importanly in building his confidence. It was another decade, though, before John plucked up the courage to enter his first trial.
In 2006 John purchased a registered bitch called Kate from Gerard Graham. He took Kate to the nurseries; his first foray on the trial field being at Charlie Lynches' place in Castlederg. They didn't place that day but that was the day John got seriously hooked on trialling. That year John purchased Killiebrae Jock from Derek Scrimgeour. Jock was an 8 week old pup who was very keen, determined and enthusiastic. It was Derek who taught John a lot about trialling.
John trained Jock from a pup right through to trial standard. Jock ran in the nurseries in the 2007/8 season. While they placed a few times, they did not make the Donegal Nursery team that year; that honour came a year later where they competed in the finals at Dungiven in County Derry. John and Jock went on to compete at the Irish National in 2009 and in 2010, they finished 8th overall and sealed their place on the Irish team for the 2010 International and the 2011 World Trial.
John's trialling friends read like a who's who of Irish handling. His main training and trialling friends are William Gallagher and Sammy Long; the latter having been on the Irish team 12 times. John finished one place ahead of Sammy at the 2010 Irish National and it seems fitting that these friends will be teammates at the World Trial. Within 20 minutes drive of John are Tommy Long (Sammy's brother), James McGee, Brendan Marley and Thomas Doherty. With this wealth of talent to push him along, it is no surprise that John and Jock have reached the pinnacle of sheepdog trialling.
Killiebrae Jock's Details
Date of Birth: March 7, 2006
ISDS # 283076
Sire: A D Scrimgeour Bob (27188)
Dam: A D Scrimgeour Kim ISDS (257815)
