The FEI/Gandini Jumping Rankings are updated on a monthly basis and there are many changes throughout the rankings as riders from countries rarely seen in the top 100 make their way up - and this augers well with the World Equestrian Games less than 12 months away.

Marcus Ehning has retained his top spot again and Rodrigo Pessoa has moved from third place up to second position on the leaderboard.

Markus Fuchs is another who has moved up this month from 4th place to 3rd position, while Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum has dropped from second place to 4th position.

Nick Skelton (5th) - pictured below right - , Jessica Kurten (6th) and Ludger Beerbaum (7th) have all maintained their positions on the leaderboard.

Gerco Schroder for the Netherlands - pictured below left - has jumped from 12th position to 8th giving him the encumbent rights of those in the Top 10 list after having a spectacularly successful October.

Beezie Madden maintains her 9th position on the list while Marco Kutscher moves from 11th place to take his place in the top 10 sitting in 10th position.

Those dropping out of the top 10 were Christian Ahlmann (Germany) who dropped from 8th to 11th and Lars Neiberg (Germany) dropping from 10th down to 12th place.

Moving from 20th up to 16th is Brazil's Bernardo Alves. Malin Baryard-Johnsson for Sweden is again moving up the rankings this month going from 53rd spot up to 45th as she obviously becomes comfortable combining new motherhood with competitive showjumping and no doubt she will be looking for her spot on the Swedish World Equestrian Games team in 2006.

Chris Kappler for the USA has also had a big jump from 63rd position to 50th, giving the Americans seven riders in the top 50 while the Germans have 12 riders in the top 50.

There are currently three women in the top 10 - Meredith Michaels Beerbaum in 4th place, Jessica Kurten - pictured below centre - in 6th place and Beezie Madden in 9th place.

Making an incredible rise through the rankings is Australian, Edwina Alexander, based at Stahl Tops who has risen from 82nd position to 61 on the leaderboard - I don't think Australia has had such a highly ranked rider for many years, if at all and you would feel confident assuming that Edwina will be representing Australia in Aachen at the World Equestrian Games. Edwina has been competing against the best and placing and winning in the big classes throughout the season.

Trevor Coyle for Ireland has worked his way into the top 100 to sit in 91st place moving up from 104 and Tim Stockdale for Great Britain is another who has moved up from 107 to 82nd spot.

Belgium's Patrick McEntee is another who has made a huge leap moving from 120 to 95th spot.

Young Rider for Great Britain, Ben Maher is a young man on a misison and he is moving steadily up the rankings and this months list he has moved from 160 to 139 - watch this rider as he is determined to make it up to the very top of his profession and seems to have the talent and horsepower to do it!

Rodrigo Pessoa's wife, Kerri is another rider on the move up the rankings having moved from 204 to 150th spot now riding for Brazil - perhaps we will see in the not too distant future husband and wife riding for Brazil in this couple.

Sweden's Linda Heed is another who has made a huge leap going from 131 to 108th position on the rankings list.

Italy's Natale Chiaudani has taken a giant leap from 198 to 152nd spot which represents a big move up the ladder.