AN EQUESTRIAN sport international is riding high after gaining eight A* grades in her GCSEs.

Isabella Stone, from Efenechtyd, near Ruthin, a student at Myddelton College, Denbigh, represented Wales at under-16 level last month at polocrosse – a combination of polo and lacrosse – to relax after the stress of exam time.

The 16-year-old is returning to the school’s sixth form next month to study chemistry, biology, geography and business but is keeping her options open for the future.

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She said: “I’m quite happy with the results but I’ve not really made my mind up for the future and want to keep my options open.

“I still love riding and was on the Welsh team for polocrosse which is basically lacrosse on horseback but more violent than polo – it’s a great team sport.”

Harry Mead from Connah’s Quay matched Isabella’s eight A stars while Pinyaphat Yuddnavaveesak, from Thailand gained six A-stars and an A.

In all 36 students sat the exams this summer and 94 per cent achieved A* to C grades.

Headmaster Andrew Allman said: “We’re very pleased with how the results have gone  with some top performers and a lot of really pleasing results.

“The examiners this year went very strictly back to the 2019 grade boundaries so they didn’t take into account the levels of stress this cohort had to cope with through the pandemic.

“In the circumstances considering they have been affected as much as any year group I think they have done very well and the results reflect well on them and on their teachers.”

Kate Lloyd Williams, from St Asaph, managed an A in history, setting her up to return to study history, business, psychology and drama.

She said: “It’s all I hoped for and more so I’m following my brother John into the sixth form and he’s going to Liverpool University after getting his A-levels last week.”

There were A*s in maths, physics and business studies for Pranay Patel, from Rhos-on-Sea, who said: “I’ve got exactly what I needed so it did go well and I’m going to celebrate at my mate’s birthday.”

Lewis Roberts, from Lixwm, gained A* in physics and business and four more As and will return to physics, computer studies, business and maths.

Thomas Bean, from Clawddnewydd, near Ruthin, gained five As and three Bs.

He said: “I’m looking forward to coming back to sixth form in a couple of weeks. It’s been better this year than the last two which were difficult because of COVID.

“This was the first time we had actually sat exams together and they altered the grade boundaries by about 20 marks.”

Daisy Owen-Morrell, from Llanbedr, near Ruthin, will return to study geography, biology, business and PE and having first sat on a horse aged six she has her heart set on a career involving horses.

Lois Bradburn, from Denbigh, will return to study maths, psychology, business and Spanish and she said: “It’s a big relief.

“It’s been a tough couple of years and even though we didn’t take the exams during COVID we’ve been affected as well.”

Issy Smith, from Hoylake, gained eight GCSEs and is going on to Wirral Metropolitan College to study aviation; “I want to be an air traffic controller,” she said.