Beckie Cantrell graduated from the University of Florida in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and she went on to teach school for two years.
She then joined Hugh Dailey at Sun Bank as an agriculture lender trainee. After several years of training and continuing education, Beckie started her own loan portfolio specializing in agriculture and Thoroughbred farm loans, as well as equine lines of credit.
She worked at Sun Bank/SunTrust Bank for four years, then rejoining Dailey at Community Bank and Trust from 1999 to 2006 as she continued her banking career at Gateway Bank until 2011.
Cantrell retired from banking to concentrate on her Thoroughbred breeding farm and raise her daughter Reece with her husband Kent Cantrell. Kent is an equine veterinarian and a partner in Ocala Equine Hospital.
Since 1998, the couple has pinhooked weanlings to yearlings and bred a few mares each year. All of their foals are registered Florida-breds and Cantrell is hands-on as the caregiver for each foal. She plans each breeding and foals out the mares.
The couple started in the Thoroughbred industry being partners with two good friends, Beth Bayer and Brett Brinkman, and throughout the years have continued a close relationship with Beth Bayer who occasionally partners with them on horses.
Recently, Cantrell became a licensed realtor with Showcase Properties of Central Florida. Cantrell is an active board member of many youth organizations including the Southeastern Youth Fair and she serves as the president of the Marion County 4-H Foundation.
Top horses the Cantrells have bred include Lindsey’s Wish, Wildcat Wish, Evolution Rocks and Violent Turbulence.
