The Kiwis notched clears from Feast and Tootill, with Lammers and Burnett-Grant each recording four faults.
That left the Aussies on zero faults and New Zealand on nine.
Aussie purringAussie chef d’equipe Becky Jenkins was purring.
“The kids rode those horses exceptionally well,” she said.
“They didn’t try to change what the horses were, and that's the best recipe, just get on and do the job.”
New Zealand trainer John Cottle had plenty of praise for both teams.
“The Australians won well. We were close, but just not close enough,” he said.
Kiwi chef d’equipe Kaye Williams said a couple of simple mistakes had cost the hosts dearly, but she praised the efforts of the Australian riders.
The Trans Tasman test runs over three days, with two rounds each day. Both teams are riding borrowed horses, with the two pools evenly matched.
Today the teams will switch horses, but tomorrow the chefs d’equipe will go one for one, choosing the horses they want.
Teams scoring three clears in a single round gain a bonus point, with just the best three scores to count.
Both countries are excited about the young-rider clash.
Jenkins says it is beneficial for riders to experience the pressure of team riding.
The final round will be held tomorrow, along with the horse and pony grand prix.
