Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise are the best placed of the Kiwis at the end of the dressage phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in the United States.
Paget and Promise are sitting in fifth after finishing with 44.8 penalty points from their dressage test, while Andrew Nicholson and Calico Joe are in 10th.
The high-ranking event continues with the cross country phase, followed by the showjumping on Monday.
The Lexington event has attracted some of the superstars of eventing from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with the Americans using it as selection trials for the London Olympics.
Kentucky is the third leg of the six part HSBC FEI Classics - in which Nicholson is sitting third with riders vying for a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.
