The Short Answer
Karl Cook is 35 years old — born on December 25, 1990. That makes Karl Cook one of the most-searched public figures for age-related questions, with fans regularly looking up birthday and family details.
Karl Cook: Early Life and Background
Karl Cook (born December 25, 1990) is an American show jumper. He was a silver medalist at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where he competed as a last-minute replacement for teammate Kent Farrington.
Early life
Karl Cook was born on December 25, 1990, to billionaire businessman Scott Cook (co-founder of Intuit), and Signe Ostby.
Personal life
Cook began dating actress Kaley Cuoco in late 2016. They became engaged on November 30, 2017, Cuoco's 32nd birthday, and were married on June 30, 2018. In September 2021, the couple announced their separation, and in June 2022, their divorce was finalized.
Cook began dating entrepreneur Mackenzie Drazan. They became engaged on June 20, 2023, and were married on April 20, 2024.
Karl Cook was born on December 25, 1990, in Woodside, California, to billionaire businessman Scott Cook, the co-founder of Intuit, and Signe Ostby. He began riding at the age of eight and trained for twelve years under Graeme and Lu Thomas at Willow Tree Farm, also spending a summer in France training with Eric Navet.
Career and Rise to Fame
Cook earned medals at the FEI North American Youth Championships between 2007 and 2009 and went on to compete in multiple FEI World Cup Finals and Nations Cup teams for the United States. He is based at Pomponio Ranch South in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, Cook won a silver medal in the team jumping event, competing as a last-minute replacement for teammate Kent Farrington aboard Caracole de la Roque and producing two clear rounds. He followed the Games with victory in the inaugural Longines FEI Jumping World Cup event in Los Angeles.
Cook runs a popular video series, Walking and Talking, in which he analyzes his rounds and discusses the sport. In 2024 he publicly criticized the U.S. championship selection system as overly reliant on FEI world rankings, arguing selections should weigh the performance of specific rider-horse combinations.
In his personal life, Cook began dating actress Kaley Cuoco in late 2016. They became engaged on November 30, 2017, married on June 30, 2018, announced their separation in September 2021, and finalized their divorce in June 2022. He became engaged to entrepreneur Mackenzie Drazan in June 2023 and married her on April 20, 2024.
Cook's full name is Karl Anders Cook. He stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and has two siblings: a sister, Annie Laurie Cook, who also rides competitively, and a brother, David Bryn Cook. He began riding alongside his mother and sister, and the family's equestrian tradition shaped his path into the sport.
Among his career victories are the $100,000 Riders Cup Grand Prix with Caillou 24 and the $100,000 Voltaire Grand Prix with Fecybelle, both in 2020, along with team and individual gold at the 2007 FEI North American Youth Championships and team and individual silver in 2008.
Cook's Olympic breakthrough came under unusual circumstances: named as a late replacement for Kent Farrington, he delivered the only two clear rounds for the American squad in the team jumping final, securing the silver medal. Equestrian media singled out his composure, noting that he took full ownership of his results, including a mistake in the individual competition that he dissected openly in his Walking and Talking series.
Age and Birthday Details
Karl Cook was born on December 25, 1990.
As of 2026, Karl Cook is 35 years old.
Birthday milestones for public figures like Karl Cook routinely trend on social media, which is why "how old is" questions generate such consistent search demand.
Children
As of 2026, there is no widely reported public record of Karl Cook having children. Karl Cook has kept his family life largely out of the spotlight, and reputable biographies focus on his career.
Personal Life and Relationships
They became engaged on November 30, 2017, Cuoco's 32nd birthday, and were married on June 30, 2018.
They became engaged on June 20, 2023, and were married on April 20, 2024.
Recent Years
Weeks after Paris, Cook and Caracole de la Roque won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup event in Los Angeles, topping an eight-horse jump-off in 41.19 seconds at Santa Anita Park, less than two hours from his San Diego-area home base.
Cook met Cuoco at an equestrian event in 2016, and the pair made their red-carpet debut at the Longines Masters LA Gala that September. Their wedding on June 30, 2018, was held at a horse stable near San Diego with close family and friends. When they announced their separation in September 2021, the joint statement to People stressed there was no anger or animosity, and the divorce was finalized in June 2022.
Beyond competition, Cook has built a reputation as an educator in the equestrian world. His Walking and Talking video series, also distributed as a podcast, offers round analysis and technique discussion aimed at making the sport more accessible to riders at all levels. He has spoken about expanding his online business and developing training courses from his Rancho Santa Fe base.
Cook's criticism of the American championship selection system centers on its reliance on FEI world rankings, which aggregate results across multiple horses. He argues this favors riders with several top horses and disadvantages those with a single suitable mount, asking why other horses' points should count when only one horse can be ridden at a championship. He advocates judging specific rider-horse combinations on objective results, supplemented by minimum requirements such as a 5* Nations Cup start with the championship horse.
His view was shaped by personal experience: at the 2023 Pan American Games he was selected with Caracole de la Roque without prior Nations Cup participation with her, which convinced him that experience with the specific horse matters more than aggregate rankings. He has warned that the current emphasis on established riders hinders the flow of young talent into the championship pipeline.
The Los Angeles World Cup victory that followed the Olympics underlined his point about horse-specific form. At Santa Anita Park, Cook and Caracole de la Roque topped a field of forty elite competitors, including four of the world's top ten ranked jumpers, winning an eight-horse jump-off in 41.19 seconds ahead of Daniel Bluman and Cian O'Connor. Afterward he said the intensity of the Olympic experience had made the partnership stronger, expressing complete faith in his mare.
Legal documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight showed the Cuoco divorce was finalized on June 20, 2022, with both parties waiving any claim to spousal support and dividing property amicably. Cuoco later welcomed daughter Matilda with partner Tom Pelphrey in 2023. Cook distributes his Walking and Talking series as a podcast as well as video, describing its mission as making equestrian knowledge more accessible and redefining how it is shared with riders at every level.
Cook is active on Instagram as @mrtankcook, where he shares training and competition content. His stated aims include expanding his online business, developing his training courses, and continuing to build his championship partnership with Caracole de la Roque from his Rancho Santa Fe base.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Karl Cook?
Karl Cook is 35 years old, born on December 25, 1990 — Christmas Day — in Woodside, California. He is an American show jumper who rose to prominence with the U.S. Olympic team.
What is Karl Cook known for?
Karl Cook is an American show jumper best known for winning a silver medal in the team jumping event at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where he competed as a last-minute replacement for teammate Kent Farrington aboard Caracole de la Roque and produced the only two clear rounds for the U.S. squad. He has competed in multiple FEI World Cup Finals and Nations Cup teams and is based at Pomponio Ranch South in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Who are Karl Cook's parents?
Cook's father is billionaire businessman Scott Cook, the co-founder of Intuit, and his mother is Signe Ostby. He has two siblings: a sister, Annie Laurie Cook, who also rides competitively, and a brother, David Bryn Cook.
Was Karl Cook married to Kaley Cuoco?
Yes. Cook began dating actress Kaley Cuoco in late 2016 after meeting at an equestrian event. They became engaged on November 30, 2017, married on June 30, 2018, at a horse stable near San Diego, announced their separation in September 2021 with a joint statement stressing there was no anger or animosity, and finalized their divorce in June 2022.
Who is Karl Cook married to now?
Cook became engaged to entrepreneur and mental health advocate Mackenzie Drazan in June 2023 and married her on April 20, 2024.
What horses has Karl Cook ridden?
His Olympic mount was Caracole de la Roque, with whom he also won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup event in Los Angeles after the Games. He began his championship partnership with her at the 2023 Pan American Games, where he was selected with her despite no prior Nations Cup participation together. Earlier career victories include the $100,000 Riders Cup Grand Prix with Caillou 24 and the $100,000 Voltaire Grand Prix with Fecybelle, both in 2020.
How did Karl Cook start riding?
Cook began riding at age eight alongside his mother and sister. He trained for twelve years under Graeme and Lu Thomas at Willow Tree Farm and spent a summer in France training with Eric Navet, earning medals at the FEI North American Youth Championships between 2007 and 2009.
Where can I find verified facts about Karl Cook?
Wikipedia's biography and reputable equestrian media such as HorsesDaily and The Plaid Horse are the most reliable sources; key references are listed below.