About the Author
Mrs. Frier-Murza has long been dedicated
to seeing that owners appreciate the talents of their terriers and
Dachshunds. A pioneer in the earthdog movement, she first began hunting
with terriers in 1971. Jo Ann attended her first American Working Terrier
Association trial in 1972, a year after it was founded, and promptly fell in
love with the sport. Since then she has earned titles with Border and
Bedlington Terriers, a Smooth Fox Terrier and Miniature Wirehaired Dachshunds.
Jo Ann has worked tirelessly
promoting the sport of den trials. Since 1976, she has hosted at least
one, and sometimes more, trials each year. In 1993 and 2001, she was
asked to work with the AKC advisory panel which developed and then revised the
earthdog testing program. Since then, she has chaired, judged and hosted
AKC trials. She is the founder of the New Jersey Beanfield Earthdogs Club
and has been an officer or served on the board of the American Working Terrier
Association, the Border Terrier Club of America, the Garden State All Terrier Club,
the Princeton Dog Training Club and the Allgemeiner Schutzhund Club. She
is currently the President of the Border Terrier Club of America. Her dogs have competed in the show
ring, obedience trials, earthdog and schutzhund events.
Jo Ann holds a Bachelor's Degree in
Biology and a Master's Degree in Forest Zoology and Animal Behavior. She
is also a Certified Public Manager and a graduate of the Ocean County Police
Academy. A martial arts devotee, Jo Ann earned her black belt in
1999. She lives in New Jersey with husband Stephen and sons Jeffrey and Michael.
