Slick Gardner, in jail for possibly violating terms of his probation, has been evicted from the 1,300-acre Santa Ynez Valley ranch that bears his family's name.

Several residents, including Gardner's girlfriend and child, vacated the ranch by the Tuesday eviction-deadline, said Christel Iwohn of Jelmax, the company that owns the property.

Though a sign near Highway 246 had continued to welcome visitors to "Gardner Ranch," Jelmax has actually owned the $6-million property for several years, Iwohn said.

Since that time, Gardner has leased the property, but had fallen behind on monthly payments and was alerted earlier this year about the eviction date.

"We didn't want this to happen," Iwohn said of the eviction. "The bottom line is that he wasn't paying."

At least four people remain on the ranch, and are helping to care for about 300 horses that remain, Iwohn said. Jelmax is also allowing Santa Barbara County Animal Services to periodically occupy the property to remove horses, she said.

The property, which includes rolling hills, a large hacienda-style home and several separate residences, will likely be divided into two parcels, Iwohn said.

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A 1,084-acre parcel of the property is already in escrow to an unidentified buyer, a real estate source said.

Prior to the mortgage default, the ranch had been in Gardner's family for more than 50 years.

In an unfortunate and perhaps symbolic turn of events Tuesday, wind and rain caused the "Gardner Ranch" entrance sign to collapse shortly after the eviction.

Gardner was thrown into Santa Barbara County Jail on Oct. 22 after a judge ruled he may have violated his probation by trying to block the removal of horses from his ranch. If Gardner is found to be in violation, he could face more than three years in state prison.

Before the ruling, the 57-year-old rancher was free on $50,000 bail, pending appeal of his conviction for felony animal cruelty and grand theft relating to horses kept on his ranch.

As part of his plea agreement, Gardner agreed to relinquish about 300 horses to qualified adopters. Probation officers found he was in violation of the settlement when he refused to approve a seizure of more than 50 wild horses by Animal Services. The department recommended that Gardner spend two years, eight months in prison for the alleged violation.

Gardner's attorney, Steve Balash, maintains his client hasn't violated his probation because he's entitled to dispute the horses' destination.

A hearing is scheduled today in Superior Court to decide the probation issue.

To complicate Gardner's life further, he was taken from jail to a hospital over the weekend after he complained of having chest pains, Balash said. However, he was not admitted for treatment.

* Staff writer Quintin Cushner can be reached at 739-2217 or by e-mail atqcushner@pulitzer.net.

Oct. 29, 2004