Letter of introduction from Pedro Borotti, CAFIB judge since 1983, to Linda Maggio and to all American Fila breeders. Pedro will judge the next 8th United CAFIB Fila Brasileiro Specialty Show, to be held on Nov, 1st and 2nd/14 in North Carolina - USA. This Expo is Event is being organized by Linda Maggio(*)

Dear friends,

CAFIB-USA is pleased to be hosting the 8th CAFIB Analysis and Show November 1, 2014 in Louisburg NC. Our judge is Mr. Pedro Borotti. Our thanks to Mr. Borotti for this interview, which offers great insight into the views of a very experienced Fila judge and breeder.

CAFIB-USA: Hi Pedro, let me first thank you for taking the time to reply to my questions and add that we are all very excited to meet you on November.

P. Borotti: I would like first to thank the invitation to judge the 8th Exhibition CAFIB-USA.

CAFIB-USA: It is our honor to have you. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

P.Borotti: I was born on July 5, 1942 in the city of Rio Claro, São Paulo. Ihave three children and three grandchildren. I now reside in the city of Porto Ferreira, São Paulo. From 1963 to 1975 I worked for the multinational corporation CLARK, manufacturing parts for GM and FORD. In 1975 began working for BOSCH INC. another manufacturer in the automotive industry. I was the tooling Manager there until 1986. During this time I did many drawing courses and projects, and worked as a toolmaker until.

In 1987 I founded my own company called FERBOMAT, specializing in the manufacture of molds and dies for plastic injection. My main clients are the multinational corporations Brastemp, Consul, Electrolux and even BOSCH. FERBOMAT is a high-tech company specialized in precision instrumentation. We are family owned and operated and have a highly skilled work force of about 30 employees.

CAFIB-USA: When did you discover the Fila and where did you get your first dogs from?

PB: I was introduced to the Fila Brasileiro in April 1981 at a conference held by Dr. Paulo Santos Cruz ,in the city of Rio Claro, São Paulo. Afterwards I got a chance to speak with him and learned of a dog named Balaio da Fazenda da Poco Vermelho in Campinas, São Paulo. I discovered that this was one of the few dogs that Dr. Paulo had chosen to begin to combat the miscegenation which had unfortunately occurred in the Fila in Brazil. This immediately began a friendship with Balaio’s owner, Fernando Zanetti. I was informed by Mr.Zanetti that in the city of Amparo, there were two female pups from a mating selected by CAFIB under the guidance of Dr. Paulo Santos Cruz. They were daughters of Átila da Fazenda da Malota x Caiana da Carolina (owned by Carlos Amaral Cintra). I did not hesitate to purchase one of them -Cauana do Amparo. Soon after I purchased a male from the kennel of Airton Campbell. This was Embaré do Parque do Castelo, son of Leão and Astúrias do Parque do Castelo.

My association with Dr. Paul was very important to me. I met him in 1981 and I'm immensely proud of it. All I know about the Fila Brasileiro I learned from him. I've visited Dr. Cruz and his wife Dona Antonieta several times at their home. Dr. Paul presented me with a female puppy named Airi de Parnapuan. We had a great friendship. He and his wife also visited with us when we lived in Campinas, São Paulo.

CAFIB-USA: Please tell us about your experiences with CAFIB.

PB: I began to attend and participate in the CAFIB Analysis of Phenotype and Temperament and the expositions and shows organized by CAFIB. Noticing my interest in Fila I was invited to take the CAFIB Course for Judges along with another friend José Luciano de Almeida Gavião. (Jose is the current President of CAFIB). We both were approved, and in 1983 we began to judge Fila Brasileiro for CAFIB.

At the same time I founded my kennel, named Embaré,and started breeding since then. For over 25 years I have been on the CAFIB Board of Directors and currently hold the position of Treasurer. In addition to the Fila, I also breed Quarter Horse’s and my son in law competes in Calf Roping and Team Roping.

I have judged dozens of CAFIB Expos in Brazil, but never outside of it. This year I will be judging two foreign CAFIB Expo’s. The first one will be next October, 11th in Alicante in Spain, organized by CAFIBE. Then of course I will be the judge November 1st at the 8th CAFIB-USA. Expo.

CAFIB-USA: Do you have a favorite Fila story to share with us?

PB: I do not have a favorite story, but I can say that living with Fila’s is always very pleasurable. There is always something going on, fights between males, between females, and the difficulty of separating them. One day my daughter was holding Galã do Embaré at an Expo in the city of Porto Ferreira. When Luciano Gavião, agitated a dog during the analysis, Gala went after him, knocking my daughter down in the process. She managed to catch Luciano and tore his shirt, pants and also took off his shoe. Fortunately there were no serious, injuries but to this day we laugh about it.

Today, in Brazil, we can say that there are Filas very good and even great in temperament. In my opinion, the “black-fila” should not be even called Fila, but just a mongrel (mestizo). Whenever analyzing these black dogs find features of Neapolitan Mastin and/or Great Dane. FILA will never born PURE BLACK.

CAFIB-USA: What advice would you offer to American breeders?

PB: Linda, you asked me what should be done to improve the Fila breedin the USA. I respond by saying what should be done around the world: you need to select! And you need to participate in exhibitions, we should always educate owners to mate the best specimens. You must promote the PURE CAFIB Fila and follow the teachings of CAFIB. After all, the Fila sadly suffered a massive miscegenation.

In my opinion, the “black-fila” should not be even called Fila, but just a mongrel (mestizo). Whenever analyzing these black dog you will find features of Neapolitan Mastin and/or Great Dane. A FILA will never born PURE BLACK.

CAFIB has spent 36 years working on the improvement of Fila, and without CAFIB the Fila Breed would have been terminated by the erroneous mistakes leading to miscegenation.

Regards, Pedro Carlos Borotti.

(*) To know more about Linda Maggio just click http://filabrasileirochicopeltierblog.com/2012/08/15/post-no-18-cafib-usa-expo-and-seminar-sent-jun20th-2-012/ and read the item SOME WORDS ABOUT LINDA MAGGIO, THE FIRST AMERICAN TO BREED CAFIB FILA IN USA.

Regards, Linda Maggio & Chico Peltier.