At the Tryon Equestrian Center the international program kicked-off with a 1.45m opening class. It was Kristen Vanderveen who set the record time with her trusted Bull Run's Faustino de Tili (Berlin).
Together with the grey, bred by Tim Van Tricht and earlier competed by Belgium's Olivier Philippaerts, Vanderveen was only 0.01 seconds faster as Mexico's Santiago Lambre aboard Cetano van Aspergem Z (Clinton I).
Lambre also claimed the third spot on stage, this time with Pampero.
The pair was followed by Ireland's Conor Swail and his Cana van de Blom (Kashmir van Schuttershof). Swail and Christophe Vanderhasselt's former mare advanced on Sharn Wordley with Valentine Car.