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36^th CAFIB Fila Brasileiro Exhibition in Guaratinguetá

CAFIB – the Club for the Improvement of Fila Brasileiro, held its 117^th National Breed Exhibition on August 3^rd and 4^th, 2024, in the historic Tourist Resort of Guaratinguetá, founded in the 17^th century in Vale do Paraíba region of São Paulo. This location holds deep symbolism for Brazilian Catholics.

In history, it is reported that, in 1717, fishermen from Villa de Guaratinguetá set out in their canoes on the Paraíba do Sul River to catch fish for a celebration to honor of the visit of the Count of Assumar, governor of the vast Captaincy of São Paulo and Minas de Ouro. After repeatedly casting their nets and retrieving them empty, they began praying to God and the Mary mother of God. Soon after, one of their nets brought up a statue of the body of Our Lady, but without the head. The next cast net, when retrieved, contained the missing head, dark and stained with mud. From that moment on, the fishermen caught a great number of fish. This saint, who "appeared" in the waters, was kept in the home of one of those fishermen, becoming a pilgrimage site for many faithful, with the stories of her miracles spreading throughout the country. As the number of visitors increased, the statue was moved to an oratory and later to a chapel. In 1928, the village that constituted around it was emancipated from Guaratinguetá and became the city of Aparecida. In 1930, by decree of Pope Pio XI, the saint was proclaimed "Queen of Brazil." The following year, the President of the Republic at the time, Getúlio Vargas, officially declared her the "Patroness of Brazil”.

Continuing in the religious sphere, it is worth noting that in 1739, in Guaratinguetá, the first Brazilian Catholic saint, Frei Galvão, was born. He was canonized in 2007. He is attributed with supernatural abilities, such as telepathy, premonition, levitation, and bilocation, as it is said that he could be present in two different places at the same time to tend to the sick and dying who called for his help. Frei Galvão is the patron of builders, engineers, and architects. He was a mason, master builder, and designer, having dedicated many years of his life to the construction of the Monastery of Light in São Paulo, being considered the first Brazilian engineer, despite not having academic training. In 2008, CREA-SP (Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy of São Paulo) held a tribute in which he posthumously recognized him as an Engineer Honoris Causa. In 2016, the "National Day of the Patron of Civil Construction and Civil Engineering Professionals, Saint Anthony of Santanna Galvão, Frei Galvão" was legally established to be celebrated on October 25 each year. At the Monastery, the famous Frei Galvão Pills, attributed to miraculous healings, are distributed; and his tomb continues to be widely visited by pilgrims and devotees.

This CAFIB Fila Brasileiro Exhibition was the 36^th held in Guaratinguetá, reaffirming the city's position as the record-holder for hosting the most of our events in these 46 years of uninterrupted activities dedicated to the breed's genetic improvement. It was also here that, in 2015, we celebrated the 100^th CAFIB National Exhibition of the Fila Brasileiro and, in 2018, we celebrated our 40^th anniversary. At that 100^th Exhibition, we started to perform a practice, once again repeated now, for selecting the Best Temperament. The Filas pre-selected for the most firm and aggressive reactions in the attack tests during class judging are called back to the ring for further tests, usually conducted by two “experimental subjects”. Each dog is evaluated once more by all the CAFIB judges present, who individually score each contender. At the end of the test, the scores are added up, and the judges themselves eagerly await to find out who will be the winner.

At the traditional Manoel Soares de Azevedo Municipal Exhibition Grounds – which also houses the Guaratinguetá International Karting Track – the Phenotype and Temperament Analysis, as usual, preceded the judgments and was attended by two specimens, both approved. The Exhibition attended the participation of 35 Filas. The judging was conducted by Jonas Tadeu Iacovantuono (females) and Fabiano Gonçalves Nunes (males). In addition to these two judges, the selection of the Best Temperament at the Exhibition also involved the participation of other members of the CAFIB Board of Judges: Américo Cardoso dos Santos Jr. (Araguaya Kennel in Vargem Grande Paulista, SP), Beth Sayuri Hino (Hisama Kennel in Guarulhos, SP), Giovani Éder de Carvalho (Itapuã Kennel in Aparecida, SP), and Mariana Campbell (Parque do Castelo Kennel in São Paulo, SP).

The main results were:

BEST MALE: Escobar Recanto do Livramento, owned by Leonardo Monteiro (Cordisburgo, MG)

BEST FEMALE: Iumi Jardim da Lapa, owned by Marcos A. Borges de Melo (Governador Valadares, MG)

BEST HEAD: Irã Jardim da Lapa, owned by Fernando Durão Duarte Vilela (Linhares, ES)

BEST TEMPERAMENT: Diamante Recanto do Livramento, owned by Leonardo Monteiro (Cordisburgo, MG)

We highlight the rare and highly valued "Excellent" (gold medal) qualification awarded to Iumi Jardim da Lapa. The last to receive this was Zenon de Itanhandu, owned by Cíntia and Gerson Junqueira Ribeiro de Barros, granted by Airton Campbell in 2013, also here in Guaratinguetá.

We acknowledge and thank the presence of breeders, exhibitors, and enthusiasts from Espírito Santo (Linhares); Goiás (Anápolis); Minas Gerais (Belo Horizonte, Caxambu, Cordisburgo, Governador Valadares, Juiz de Fora, and Nova Lima); Rio de Janeiro (Quatis); and São Paulo (Aparecida, Guaratinguetá, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Suzano, and Vargem Grande Paulista). Internationally, we were honored by the visit of enthusiasts from Costa Rica (Alajuela and Heredia) and the United States (Philadelphia): José Mario Rojas Ocampo, Lígia Chávez, Pablo González, Laura Méndez, and Cláudio Rufino.

We also express our acknowledgments to the respected breeder Half Fonseca Marassi, from Alto Quatis Kennel (RJ), who once again has honored us with his presence; to the competent experimental subject Haroldo Andrey Rhodson Alver Santos Mosqueira; to the thoughtful Dito Pelé, Henriqueta, and Douglas from the snack bar; and to sponsors Natan Carvalho (Rações Supra), Sérgio Vieira, and Verônica dos Santos Iacovantuono (both from Terra Nutri).

Immediately after the Analysis, all those present were invited by Jonas Tadeu Iacovantuono to a meeting at his residence. There, with his great rhetorical and didactic skills, assisted by his daughter Verônica, he conducted a brilliant lecture on the Fila Brasileiro breed standard and aspects of its judging.

Our next event will be the 19^th CAFIB Fila Brasileiro Exhibition in Spain, scheduled for November 2^nd, in Ondara, to be judged by Paulo Augusto Monteiro de Moura. The organizer of this show, Jaime Pérez Marhuenda, will then come to Brazil to judge, alongside Jonas Tadeu Iacovantuono, the 118^th CAFIB National Exhibition of the Fila Brasileiro and the 2^nd CAFIB Fila Brasileiro Exhibition in Caxambu.

Translation made by Ana Luiza Berenger.