Thomas A. “Tad” Davis, 84, passed away on Dec. 28, 2022, from complications related to Parkinson's Disease at his home in Alexandria, Va., surrounded by his family.
Davis was involved with the formation of the American Horse Council (AHC) in 1969 and served as its attorney and lobbyist for 50 years in Washington, D.C. He also represented the National Thoroughbred Racing Association upon its formation. He was involved in all federal legislation affecting the horse industry during that period.
Most notably, Davis played a formidable role in the passage of the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 that enabled simulcasting as well as an amendment in 2000 to clarify that interstate electronic wagering on horse racing was legal.
Through the years, he was also prominently involved in the enactment and protection of three-year depreciation for race horses and other horses; ensuring that horses were eligible for the Section 179 expense deduction and bonus depreciation; making horses eligible for Federal assistance after disasters; and making horses and farms eligible for emergency relief after disasters.
He was well known by horse owners and breeders throughout the country, often preparing syndicate agreements for prominent stallions and racing and breeding partnerships. He was particularly well-known for his knowledge of how the federal tax laws applied to the horse industry and successfully represented many prominent horsemen in IRS audits.
His Horse Owners and Breeders Tax Handbook was the premier text in this area. His monthly AHC Tax Bulletins kept the industry up-to-date on legislation, regulations, and court decisions affecting the industry for decades. Both were published by the AHC.
“He was really the dean of equine attorneys,” said his longtime colleague and friend, Jay Hickey, the former president of the American Horse Council. “He loved the horse industry and the people in it. Beyond all his legislative achievements, he was widely admired for his honesty, integrity, and loyalty to his friends and his fun-loving spirit.”
Davis was born in Birmingham, Ala., and grew up in Jacksonville, Fla. He attended the University of Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees. He received his LLM in Taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center.
After graduation, he served with the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., as a strategic Intelligence Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. Following his Army service, he was an attorney in the Chief Counsel's Office of the Internal Revenue Service.
There he became an expert in the taxation of life insurance and companies. These areas served as an anchor for the legal and legislative practices of Davis & Harman LLP, the firm he founded in 1986 with William Harman.
He is survived by his wife, Jerri, his children, Denra and Reilly (Himaja), and his new grandchild, Rishaan Thomas.
A service and reception will be held at a later date following his inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery.
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