Sir Mark Todd is the best placed New Zealand equestrian after day one at the Kentucky four star event in the United States.
Sir Mark Todd and his horse Campino at Kentucky. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Todd and his horse Campino are in sixth place, nine points behind the leader and defending champion Michael Jung from Germany.
Fellow New Zealanders Jock Paget and Clifton Signature are in 17th, while Tim Price and Bango are in a share for 20th.
Blyth Tait and Xanthus III is further back in 38th and described it as a great course.
"Each individual fence is big but fair, and cumulatively I think it will ride strong because there is just no let up," he said.
Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance eventing coach Erik Duvander agreed.
"The course designer (Derek di Grazia) has made the time more difficult this year with direction changes and not giving horses any recovery spaces, so it looks as though they will need to be right on their minute markers.
Todd too says it will be a real challenge out there.
"It is more twisty than last year, so that time will be difficult," he said.
-RNZ
