At age 16, Karl Cook of Woodside is one of the youngest riders to win top honors in a prestigious riding event on the East Coast.
Karl won the young riders’ individual gold medal for show jumping at the North American Juniors and Young Riders’ Championships in Lexington, Virginia, earlier this month. He is the first Californian to accomplish this since 1994.
Karl was also a member of the all-California zone 10 team that won the team gold medal for show jumping in the young riders’ division.
Riders ages 14 to 21 from Canada, Mexico and the United States competed in the six-day event at the Virginia Horse Center.
Karl rode Uno de Laubry, a Belgian warmblood, over 1.45 meter jumps. Their five round score tallied 4.06 faults.
Karl trains with the Thomas family at Willow Tree Farm at Portola Valley Training Center. He is a student at Menlo School.
— Kate Daly
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