Equestrian Jill Terceira's podium dreams have been spectacularly shattered after a roguish ride by her horse, Navantus, in the opening day of the Pan-Am Games showjumping.

A dejected Terceira feared her Games had come to a premature end after accumulating a hefty 21.78 penalty points, leaving her joint last out of 45 jumpers.

But despite being dealt a 20-point handicap in today's individual second qualifier, Terceira has vowed to make amends by producing the ride of her life.

It was a less traumatic day for her compatriot, Patrick Nisbett, who was dealt 10.99 penalty points on his horse, Antille 8, finishing in 36th position.

Both Bermuda's experienced jumpers had been potential medal challengers, so Terceira's unassailable chances of glory represents a major blow for the Island still without a medal in Rio.

"I felt flat and upset when I believed I'd been eliminated from the competition as I'd put so much effort into getting here in terms of training, costs and travel," she said.

"I can try and make it up but it's unlikely I will even finish in the top half ¿ my penalty points are massive. But I've nothing to lose now so I'll try and give the ride of my life.

"At the beginning my horse was jumping very fresh and well. But towards the end he seemed down and maybe that's because the course is quite long with 14 jumps and two double combinations.

"He stopped at one of the jumps which was strange because he was riding well and he didn't really have a reason to do so. After that he seemed too strung and stopped at the next jump as well."

Terceira, who travelled to Rio with Bermuda's horses from Luxembourg, bought stallion Navantus as a five-year-old with the pair having worked together for eight years.

She had qualified for the Games with two horses but selected Navantus who she deemed the better jumper.

"Navantus has a lot of good qualities and had been riding well so today was very unfortunate," she said.

"But horses have a mind of their own and sometimes you really have to get that partnership right ¿ sadly it wasn't together.

"He did stop at a fence in Wednesday's training and I did punish him and thought that was over with. It was my first Pan-Ams and it was a challenge to get here as Bermuda had strong qualifying standards. It's disappointing because the horse was ready and should be peaking now.

"We've had a long partnership and it's disappointing he didn't step up for me today. But they can feel what you're feeling and this stage is a lot different in terms of the crowd, the noise and the flags."

Bermuda's showjumping brief had been to win a spot at next summer's Beijing Olympics and Terceira has now thrown her support behind Nisbett to fulfill that objective.

"Patrick jumped very well with his horse looking very good," she added. "We must now root for him as he can help Bermuda qualify for one spot at the 2008 Olympics."